The crucial lesson from Roger Federer's Ivy League speech, viewed over 1 million times: 'This mindset is really important'

Tennis legend Roger Federer advises that everyone experiences failure and his recommendation for overcoming adversity is to let it go.

According to Federer, 42, in a commencement speech at Dartmouth College earlier this month, those who succeed understand that they will experience losses and have learned how to cope with it. The video of his remarks, posted to YouTube by the school, has received over 1.7 million views as of Thursday afternoon.

During his illustrious career, Federer, who amassed 20 Grand Slam singles titles, acknowledged that his innate talent on the court was only a contributing factor to his success. He attributed his enduring career and unwavering consistency, in part, to cultivating his mental fortitude.

"According to Federer, playing a point must be the most crucial thing in the world. However, once it's over, it's over. This mindset is essential because it allows you to fully commit to the next point with intensity, clarity, and focus."

"No matter what game you play in life, there will be times when you lose. However, negative energy is a waste of energy," he stated.

In contrast to what a casual observer might assume, Federer actually lost more often than not.

"I won almost 80% of the 1,526 singles matches I played in my career," he said. "What percentage of points do you think I won in those matches? Only 54% ... When you lose every second point, on average, you learn not to dwell on every shot."

How to grow your mental resilience

Experts suggest that having a short memory, particularly when it comes to setbacks, such as a friend's anger or job loss, is highly beneficial.

Focusing on challenging situations can lead to negative self-talk and a pessimistic outlook, as per Judy Ho, a neuropsychologist and professor at Pepperdine University.

"Negative self-talk may seem like a motivational tool, but it often leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy, as Ho explained to CNBC Make It last month."

Mastering communication and public speaking is the ultimate guide.

Emma Seppälä, a lecturer at the Yale School of Management, wrote in Make It in April that letting go of painful or frustrating emotions doesn't mean suppressing your feelings. Instead, allow yourself to experience your emotions and let them flow through you.

"Seppälä wrote, "Emotions can overwhelm you like a wave, keeping you underwater for a while before passing. However, fully experiencing an emotion doesn't mean fully expressing it during its peak. The goal is to process and digest the emotion, which will improve communication once you've taken those steps.""

Federer advised taking time to recognize and process an upsetting situation before moving on, just like he did.

"Accept it, cry it out if necessary, then force a smile," Federer advised. "Move on, be relentless, adapt and grow, work harder, work smarter."

To become a successful and confident communicator, enroll in CNBC's online course, "Become an Effective Communicator: Master Public Speaking." Our program will teach you how to speak clearly and confidently, manage your nerves, choose the right words and body language, and make a great first impression. Sign up now and use code EARLYBIRD for a 30% discount through July 10, 2024.

Sign up for CNBC Make It's newsletter to receive expert advice on work, money, and life.