You keep shooting. You hope it goes in, and you smile.

The words of Teemu Selanne, “You keep shooting. You hope it goes in, and you smile,” speak not merely of hockey, but of life itself. In their simplicity lies an ancient teaching: perseverance, faith, and joy. For the shot is the effort, the striving, the attempt; the hope is the trust that one’s labor may bear fruit; and the smile is the acceptance of outcome, whether it is success or failure. In these few words, Selanne captures the eternal rhythm of human endeavor: try, believe, accept, and carry on.

The act of shooting is the metaphor for all action. Life demands that we move, that we risk, that we step forward even without certainty. To hesitate is to wither, but to act is to live. Selanne’s wisdom is that victory is never guaranteed, yet this does not absolve us of the duty to strive. The arrow may miss its mark, the stone may fall short, the shot may bounce away—but the warrior, the artist, the dreamer must still release it. For to withhold the attempt is to deny the possibility of triumph altogether.

Consider the story of Thomas Edison, who in his quest to invent the light bulb endured thousands of failures. Each failed attempt was another shot, another test of endurance. When asked about his many defeats, he replied, “I have not failed. I have found 10,000 ways that will not work.” His hope never dimmed, and when at last the light shone, it was brighter because of his perseverance. Like Selanne, he knew that the essence of greatness is not in one perfect attempt, but in the refusal to cease trying.

And yet, Selanne’s words are not grim. They end with the command to smile. This is the heart of the teaching: to labor and strive without bitterness, to accept both triumph and failure with grace. For the smile is victory in itself—it is the spirit refusing to be broken by outcomes. Many can fight, many can toil, but fewer can embrace both success and disappointment with joy. The smile makes the striving noble, for it transforms even failure into a lesson, even defeat into a memory worth cherishing.

The ancients understood this balance. The Stoics taught to act with virtue, but to release attachment to results. The Bhagavad Gita, too, speaks of the warrior’s duty: “You have the right to the work, but not to the fruits thereof.” Selanne’s words echo these timeless truths. The hope that “it goes in” keeps us moving; the smile ensures that our spirit is not enslaved by what happens after. This is the path of resilience, the way of freedom.

The lesson is clear: in your own life, keep shooting. Do not be paralyzed by the fear of failure or the weight of expectation. Act with courage, pour yourself into your work, and aim high. Then, when the outcome comes—whether it is glory or disappointment—smile. For both are part of the journey, both carve strength into your character. The true triumph is not only in success, but in the spirit that refuses to give up.

To practice this, begin each day with an action toward your goals, no matter how small. Send the message, write the page, take the risk. Do it with hope, believing it may succeed, but do not let failure crush you. When setbacks come, smile—not in mockery of pain, but in recognition that you are still striving, still alive, still becoming. Like Selanne on the ice, may you keep firing your shots, knowing that persistence itself is the victory.

So remember, O children of tomorrow: keep shooting, hope it goes in, and smile. For this is the way of endurance, of courage, and of joy. And if you live by this rhythm, no defeat will conquer you, and every success will shine brighter for the spirit that carried you there.