Last week, Sri Lankan F3 prodigy Yevan David wrapped up his season with three titles . This week, we’re revisiting his TEDxColombo talk — a reflection on why losing might just be the best teacher of all.
At the time of the talk, Yevan had raced in 528 competitions — and won only 25. Yet he says, “Being at the back isn’t defeat — it’s preparation for greatness.”
Every setback, he explains, became data — a lesson in focus, resilience, and self-discipline. “The true lessons came not from victory,” he says, “but from setbacks.”
His reminder to all of us: treat every loss as feedback, not failure.
Or as he puts it —
Focus is trained — it’s not natural. Courage is calm, not loud. Winning feels good, but losing is where you find yourself. Losing is where you learn, if you’re willing to watch and observe. You don’t always need to be fast. You don’t always need to be great. You just need to be ready. So when your moment comes, don’t just take the lead — own it
Yevan David