Seemingly futile effort

A football match looks like futile effort most of the time.

A team makes a fantastic midfield play with delicate passes, but the ball is stolen last minute. Back to defense.

Here comes a promising free kick opportunity, but the header goes wide. Back to square one.

The striker finds a rare opening during transition, but misses the shot. Still nothing on the scoreboard.

Every game is filled with dozens of failures. Some hurt more than others. Great teams, however, do not dwell on the errors. Instead, they let go immediately. They reset. They focus on the next play.

Nothing seems to get through? Keep trying. Pay attention. Pass better. Communicate more. Change formation. Take some risks. Knock on every door.

Without the 99% of hard work that appears fruitless, the 1% of glory will never come.