Challenge and Setback Always Come as a Pair

I have kept challenging myself throughout my life.
Not reckless challenges, but the kind where I think things through, prepare carefully, and then deliberately take the leap.

And there is one thing I am absolutely certain of.

Challenge and setback always come as a pair.

When you challenge yourself, things don't always go as planned.
Sometimes you lose.
Sometimes things don't turn out the way you hoped.

But even so, I never quit.
That accumulation is what has made me who I am today.

"Be a newer version of yourself today than you were yesterday."

With that mindset, I make sure to pick up at least one new skill every single day.
I build growth through small, consistent steps.

Strangely enough, it doesn't feel like a burden at all. If anything, it's enjoyable.

Setbacks Are Not "Failures" — They Are "Data"

There is a quote I love.

Thomas Edison

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.

I think this quote cuts right to the heart of the matter.

When you challenge yourself, you will inevitably hit walls.
Sometimes results don't come.
Sometimes projects don't move in the direction you intended.

But is that truly a "failure"?

It is

valuable data telling you "this approach doesn't work."

The next time you face the same situation,
you won't make the same mistake again.

As that data accumulates, you draw closer to success.

It's the same in the world of poker, which I pursue as a hobby.
I have challenged the World Series of Poker — the highest stage in the world — many times, and I have been knocked down by stronger players just as many times.

Even so, each time I reviewed my strategy and kept experimenting.

I still haven't won a ring (the championship bracelet).
But with every challenge, the "data for the next attempt" keeps growing.

Setbacks are the raw material of growth.

Grow 1% Every Day and You'll Be a Different Person in a Year

"Be a newer version of yourself today than you were yesterday."

If you genuinely commit to this, your life will undoubtedly change.

1% growth per day.
That's just a tiny amount.

But if you keep it up for 365 days, in theory you become roughly 38 times better.
The power of compounding is greater than you can imagine.

Every day, gain one new piece of knowledge.
Try out a new tool.
Attempt a different approach than yesterday.

Even without dramatic change,
in three or five years the difference becomes overwhelming.

Growth doesn't come from a single dramatic breakthrough —
it comes from the steady, daily accumulation of small steps.

Those Who Enjoy the Process Are the Strongest in the End

Challenge → Setback → Improvement → Try again.

This cycle is normally exhausting.

But for me, it's fun.

Why?

Because I can feel myself growing.

Something I couldn't do yesterday, I can do today.
Something I didn't know yesterday, I understand today.

As long as I have that feeling, I can't stop challenging myself.

I think work is the same.

If you're feeling like "every day is boring,"
maybe the sense of growth has simply stalled.

Just a little is enough.
Try something new.

Someone who can enjoy growth
eventually learns to enjoy even setbacks.

Because setbacks are the doorway to the next stage of growth.

The Reason I Don't Give Up Is That Possibility Still Exists

I still haven't won a WSOP ring.

I've challenged many times and lost many times.

But there is one reason I don't give up.

Because there is still a possibility.

Possibility only reaches zero
the moment you stop challenging yourself.

It's the same in work.

Before thinking "I can't do this,"
have you truly tried every possible approach?

There may be a method you haven't tried yet.
There may be a skill you haven't learned yet.

As long as you keep challenging yourself, possibility never disappears.

Keep Being a Challenger

When you challenge yourself, setbacks follow.
That is unavoidable.

But,

A year spent not challenging yourself
and a year spent constantly challenging yourself
lead to completely different futures.

Even if you haven't reached your goal,
the person who kept challenging will undoubtedly be a different person.

That's why I keep challenging myself.

I will win a WSOP ring someday, without fail.
Until then, I'll enjoy every part of the journey — setbacks included.

A life spent challenging yourself
is absolutely more interesting.

Challenge and setback always come as a pair.
So let's enjoy both.

◾️Kenta Sakakibara / Growth Partner

From managing and planning at an advertising agency to becoming independent, and then serving as an e-commerce director at a manufacturer, he has consistently worked at the forefront of web marketing. At StoreHero, he shares the vision of the CEO and COO and drives next-generation growth support centered on AI and Shopify. Originally from Osaka, his hobbies span a wide range including pursuing AI technology, video production, poker, mahjong, and cooking.