‘Don’t Be Too Afraid’- Serena Williams Dishes Out Her Only Advice as She Unveils What ‘Resilience’ Meant to Her

“A champion is defined not by their wins, but by how they can recover when they fall,” said Serena Williams. Her powerful words became her guiding spirit, one that helped her to transform setbacks into glorious victories again and again. In a recent IG reel, Williams reflected on her lessons, learned through juggling between trials and triumphs. She had an interesting take on “resilience,” one that resonated with every fighter’s heart who refuses to back down!

Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam winner, might be considered a legendary athlete, but she had her fair share of struggles in her career. This former WTA star battled injuries and took a break in 2003 following the murder of her sister Yetunde Price in a Compton gang shooting. From 2005 to 2006, Williams battled severe depression and came down to WTA 140 ranking. However, it is fair to say that even the toughest superheroes need rest sometimes. Williams reconnected with her faith as a Jehovah’s Witness and traveled to Africa, which motivated her to return to court. Upon Returning, she won the Australian Open title in 2007, and the US Open title in 2008. Serena Williams’ career milestones highlight her incredible spirit and perseverance in the sport. Apart from these, she suffered from near-to-death experiences during Olympia’s birth. She had a Branchial Cleft cyst and pulmonary embolism, which made her situation quite worse after childbirth. Yet, after everything, Williams’ spirit remained unshakable. And the reason? The legend says it all.

Williams shared a reel on the IG platform, where she delivered anecdotes from her life and learnings while doing her makeup. This former WTA number one spoke about resilience while applying her WYN Beauty concealer under her eyes. She was asked what resilience meant to her and how she applied it in her career. In her response, Williams said, “Resilience is something that you kinda just have to stand up and do and it doesn’t mean necessarily don’t give up or never say die, and yet doesn’t mean those things! Also, being resilient means to try again and if you fail try again and don’t be too afraid to try again. So, that’s one thing that I do now is you know when I was on the tennis court and maybe I didn’t win that match or maybe if I found someone that was playing better than me, on that day ofcourse, but that didn’t mean I can’t go back and try harder.”

Williams’ statement was very motivating. She also added that, for her, being resilient means showing up every day. This WTA legend highlighted the struggles of the mothers and applauded their strong will. She explained how showing up for family and oneself shows signs of resilience. Following her explanation, Williams left a great lesson for her followers: “Definitely don’t give up. Keep going, and you know, never stop. Always remember to try something new.”

More than winning, what mattered to Serena Williams was trying harder on dreams. Her words echoed her passion to become the best version of herself. This WTA legend already clinched 21 Grand Slam titles in 2015, so she had chances to give up on her career. Yet, Williams fought harder to reach Steffi Graf’s record of 22 Grand Slams. In 2016, she lost three Grand Slam tournaments in a row but returned like a queen to lift the trophy at Wimbledon. Her success story shows how dreams can be a reality if pursued with great dedication.

Serena Williams credited her setbacks for her growth- “I’ve grown most not from victories”

One thing popular about Serena Williams is that she never liked losing. Earlier she confessed this and said, “I don’t like to lose — at anything… Yet I’ve grown most not from victories, but setbacks.” Her words greatly explained that more than her victories, her hunger for winning drove her passion for success. Williams also highlighted the power of the mind. She believed she was successful because she visualized herself like that and believed in her potential. Along with this indomitable spirit, this WTA legend had an appetite for hard work. Together with her spirit, it created a deadly combination. “I think in life, you should work on yourself until the day you die,” she said.

Serena Williams’ success story inspires people across generations. It teaches the importance of valuing dreams and working hard for them. Despite setbacks, Williams hardly lost hope in her potential and showed that more than skills, one needs perseverance and determination to be successful. So, do you agree with Serena Williams?