Perfection Is Not the Goal: Lessons from the Field

In the world of sports, perfection is often the dream. No mistakes, no missed shots, no bad games. But here's the truth: perfection isn’t the goal—and it never has been.

Even the greatest athletes in history have proven that success doesn’t require being perfect. In fact, imperfection is baked into the very nature of sports.

Look at the Legends

Let’s take a look at some of the best to ever do it:

• Alexander Ovechkin, the NHL’s all-time leading scorer, averages just 0.60 goals per game—the same as the legendary Wayne Gretzky.

• Steph Curry, known as the greatest shooter in NBA history, has a career shooting percentage of 47%.

• In Major League Baseball, the highest career batting average ever belongs to Ty Cobb at .366. Most of today’s stars don’t come close—Shohei Ohtani, one of the most exciting players in the game right now, holds a career batting average of .281.

• Tom Brady only completed 33% of his pass attempts in his rookie year. By his final year he completed only 66% of this pass attempts.

  
  

These stats prove something powerful: you can miss more than you succeed—and still be one of the greatest of all time.

Mistakes Happen. Great Athletes Learn From Them.

Sports are full of dropped passes, missed shots, mental errors, fouls, and failures. That’s not weakness—it’s part of the game.

Just ask Mark Andrews, tight end for the Baltimore Ravens. In the 2025 AFC Divisional Round, Andrews had a tough game. He dropped a pivotal two-point conversion pass that could’ve tied the game against the Buffalo Bills in the final minutes. The Ravens lost 27-25.

He was crushed.

“I’m absolutely gutted by what happened on Sunday,” Andrews said in a heartfelt message. “I’m devastated for my teammates, my coaches, and Ravens fans.”

But what he said next is what really matters:

“I refuse to let the situation define me. I promise that this adversity will only make me stronger and fuel us as we move forward.”

That is the mindset of a true competitor. You’re not always going to win the game. You’re not always going to catch the pass. But you always get to choose how you respond.

Mistakes Are Feedback, Not Failure

If you dropped a game-winning pass… what would you do?

Would you give up? Beat yourself up? Or would you get back to work, determined to come back stronger?

Mistakes don’t make you a failure. They’re feedback. They teach you where to improve. They humble you. They build resilience. They grow your mental game more than any “perfect” moment ever could.

The 1% Better Rule

Instead of chasing perfect, chase progress.

• Be better than yesterday.

• Get 1% better every day.

• Focus on the next play, not the last mistake.

  
  

When you shift your mindset from “I need to be perfect” to “I want to improve,” everything changes. You let go of fear. You learn faster. You grow stronger. And you become the kind of athlete who stays consistent, confident, and unstoppable—no matter what the scoreboard says.

Final Thoughts

There is no such thing as perfect in sports. Not in youth leagues. Not in high school. Not in college. Not even at the professional level.

Perfection is not the goal—growth, grit, and the willingness to keep showing up are.

So, the next time you miss a shot, drop a ball, or mess up a play, remember: even the greats have done the same. What made them great was what they did next.

Let’s be like them. Let’s fail forward. Let’s get 1% better—today.