The disappointment on their faces was acutely apparent—understandable, given the countless days, months, and years it had taken to reach this point. Yet that expression quickly gave way as they began to reflect, analyze, and strategize. As the saying goes, they lost the battle, not the war, and now was the time to assess, adjust, and prepare for the next round.
There is nothing quite like the Olympic Games. Watching world-class athletes live fully into “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat” is inspiring. Often, however, that phrase is reversed. Olympians experience an early round of defeat, recalibrate, and then go on—sometimes all the way—to the thrill of victory.
One of my favorite quotes from legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden captures this truth well: “Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be.” Our capacity to intentionally assess our situation and make necessary adjustments is often the true game-changer.
This intentionality of reflection and recalibration lies at the heart of the Lenten journey—not to linger in regret, but to pause long enough to see clearly. “Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord” (Lamentations 3:40). Reflection in this season is never an end in itself, it is the doorway to turning, to recalibration, and to renewed faithfulness. As philosopher John Dewey reminds us, “We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience.” Lent gives us this grace-filled space to reflect honestly, adjust wisely, and step forward again—changed, reoriented, and ready for what comes next.
One of the most helpful practices I have found for embracing reflection and reorientation comes from the Ignatian practice of the Daily Examen:
• Review the day with gratitude
• Notice moments of challenge and difficulty
• Acknowledge where we missed the mark
• Ask for the grace to live differently tomorrow
Like Olympic athletes who stumble early yet return to the starting line with renewed focus, reflection is an act of hope—a reminder that growth is always within reach and change is always possible. When we pause to assess and recalibrate, we trust that God is not finished with us. As Henri Nouwen reminds us, “Without reflection, our lives run away from us.” Lent gives us the gift of beginning again: stepping forward with clearer vision, steadier footing, and hearts ready for the possibilities that lie ahead.
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