How to deal with setbacks? Be more like Leon Goretzka!

This Thursday, Germany faces Italy in the first leg of the Nations League quarter-final—with Leon Goretzka in the squad.

The very same player who, before the season, was sidelined by the decision-makers at FC Bayern Munich and seemingly had no future left at the German record champions. Or so it seemed!

I’m sure he had other options—or could have simply given up. But he didn’t. Quite the opposite—he kept fighting, and has now been rewarded both at FC Bayern Munich and in the national team.

I have great respect for this mindset—and it should serve as a role model for many in business and academia. It’s not just the way he deals with setbacks that stands out, but also his focus on what he can control.

Far too often, we struggle with circumstances that affect us—but that we cannot change. So why waste energy and resources on them?

Instead, focus on the things you can control and adjust at any time—like your own performance!

In both studies and work, we can control how much energy and passion we invest in our tasks—and top performance will ultimately be rewarded. Just like in the case of Leon Goretzka.
Instead of making excuses, he simply worked twice as hard in training, convinced the coach, and left him with no choice but to put him back on the pitch.

Respect Leon!

So the next time we feel knocked back by external circumstances or don’t see a way forward at first: don’t run away or complain—do more, and focus on your circle of influence. You might even grow from it.