A few weeks ago I stumbled across a video on 'X' of Ilia Malinin ice skating - coolest performance I've ever seen, ever. Then I heard he was headed to the Olympics as the favorite and I was excited. Everyone assumed he would win. Then the free skate happened. 

He fell.  

Plus, uncharacteristic mistakes. He finished eighth.

The media was stunned. The crowd was stunned. It was a very public failure.

Most of us get to fail privately. 

A proposal doesn't close or a launch flops. We get a "no." 

There's no CBS interview - we deal with it and move on. 

Malinin had to deal with his failure under lights, cameras, news crews, and a global audience. 

That’s a different level of courage. 

We tend to define courage as confidence. It's also the willingness to risk falling in full view of everyone.

Public failure tests you. 

Was your confidence built on outcomes or efforts?

If it's outcome-based, one bad performance or crucial "no" can knock you over. 

If it's effort-based, you hurt, you review, and you get back to work.

Malinin said he "blew it." No excuses. Taking responsibility is part of the real mental game.

You may never skate in front of millions of people, and I know I won't. 

But you will have moments that feel just as public. When it doesn't go your way, resist the urge to shrink and do one more hard thing while it's still uncomfortable. That's courage and how you put yourself back in position to win.