If you play tennis, you’re probably familiar with the concept of a “second serve.” In tennis, you have two chances to serve the ball, so on the first you can really put everything into it, with little risk, since you always have that second one to fall back on. The key is how you approach the second one.

When I was much younger, I learned that it was OK—critical even—to learn how to hit a powerful second serve, something that would be nearly as effective as the first, with lots of spin to it. But that took time and effort and many, many failed attempts even in game-time situations.

The easy solution in the moment would have been to tap that second serve right in—risking little, but also not developing for the future. But I’m glad I got the advice I did to risk it early on, and learn from experience and failure, because now I have a second serve I can use effectively, something that’s actually an asset—a weapon—and something I can use in real game-time situations.

 …