Josh Waitzkin

Yeah.

Yeah.

I already had a very strange life because, and I think a foundational part of my psychology came from, so I started playing chess when I was six years old. By the time I was seven, I was the top rated player for my age in the country. My first national championship, I got my ass kicked, which was tremendous. It was great.

I already had a very strange life because, and I think a foundational part of my psychology came from, so I started playing chess when I was six years old. By the time I was seven, I was the top rated player for my age in the country. My first national championship, I got my ass kicked, which was tremendous. It was great.

I already had a very strange life because, and I think a foundational part of my psychology came from, so I started playing chess when I was six years old. By the time I was seven, I was the top rated player for my age in the country. My first national championship, I got my ass kicked, which was tremendous. It was great.

Last round of my first nationals, I lost to the guy who later became my best friend for many, many years, David Arnett.

Last round of my first nationals, I lost to the guy who later became my best friend for many, many years, David Arnett.

Last round of my first nationals, I lost to the guy who later became my best friend for many, many years, David Arnett.

Because I didn't learn that I could win without getting my ass kicked first. I had to grapple with my demons. And I relate – the year from then to winning my nationals, my first nationals the next year was when I really developed a love for chess. And I had to work very hard. And I didn't associate winning the nationals with –

Because I didn't learn that I could win without getting my ass kicked first. I had to grapple with my demons. And I relate – the year from then to winning my nationals, my first nationals the next year was when I really developed a love for chess. And I had to work very hard. And I didn't associate winning the nationals with –

Because I didn't learn that I could win without getting my ass kicked first. I had to grapple with my demons. And I relate – the year from then to winning my nationals, my first nationals the next year was when I really developed a love for chess. And I had to work very hard. And I didn't associate winning the nationals with –

talent, or a smooth trip, or all the bullshit that people can connect when they're called a prodigy from the outside. It's not a term I ever related to myself at all, but these labels are put on from the outside, and if you win too fast to... too young, you can just develop this relationship to, this brittle relationship to success and to training and to everything, right?

talent, or a smooth trip, or all the bullshit that people can connect when they're called a prodigy from the outside. It's not a term I ever related to myself at all, but these labels are put on from the outside, and if you win too fast to... too young, you can just develop this relationship to, this brittle relationship to success and to training and to everything, right?

talent, or a smooth trip, or all the bullshit that people can connect when they're called a prodigy from the outside. It's not a term I ever related to myself at all, but these labels are put on from the outside, and if you win too fast to... too young, you can just develop this relationship to, this brittle relationship to success and to training and to everything, right?

You don't realize that getting your ass kicked is a huge part of the journey.

You don't realize that getting your ass kicked is a huge part of the journey.

You don't realize that getting your ass kicked is a huge part of the journey.

And so consistently, the biggest losses, the most crushing losses are what lead to the biggest wins later. Sometimes many years later. And people often... I remember I was giving a simultaneous chess exhibition for a charity in my 20s somewhere. And this guy introduced his son and he said his son hadn't lost a chess game in two years. And he was so proud.

And so consistently, the biggest losses, the most crushing losses are what lead to the biggest wins later. Sometimes many years later. And people often... I remember I was giving a simultaneous chess exhibition for a charity in my 20s somewhere. And this guy introduced his son and he said his son hadn't lost a chess game in two years. And he was so proud.

And so consistently, the biggest losses, the most crushing losses are what lead to the biggest wins later. Sometimes many years later. And people often... I remember I was giving a simultaneous chess exhibition for a charity in my 20s somewhere. And this guy introduced his son and he said his son hadn't lost a chess game in two years. And he was so proud.