On Failure
I have failed at a million things (as I'm sure most of us have). Some of these things have been very significant failures that I regret. Others, in the grand scheme of things, haven't mattered so much.
Regardless of whether the failure was significant or not, or led to future success or not, one thing I can say I'm thankful for, is that I try - that I keep going.
This is a lesson I hope to instill in my children. We are not successful because we fail, we are successful because we try, we fail, and we pick ourselves up and try again, and again, and again. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we still fail. And that sucks. I mean REALLY SUCKS! But, even if we don't succeed in the task at hand. We can still succeed. We can grow and learn from our failures and make adjustments for the future. And still, I would rather try and fail than never risk trying.
Because, to never risk trying means never growing and learning, and never ultimately succeeding.
So, here I find myself growing in new, unexpected ways. I have found myself having to try this recovering from an accident thing. There have already been times that I've failed. But, there have also been great successes. And, I keep trying, I keep going - making adjustments with each failure so that I can try again.
Because the majority of people reading this probably hasn't had exactly the same experiences I've had (which I'm thankful you haven't), I will use a very real, but also relatable example: returning to the gym. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't lift more than 10 pounds. I couldn't pedal for an hour long spin class. I couldn't stay balanced enough to even walk on the treadmill. I could have quit after the first time or two. I could have just given up in disgust and disappointment that my body doesn't work like it used to. But, what would that have accomplished - only continuing to be disappointed in myself, and only ensuring that my body wouldn't go back to working like it used to.
So, I kept going back, frustrating gym session after frustrating gym session. And then, I noticed something - I was getting stronger. I was able to do those things that I had originally not been able to do. I had succeeded in those original goals, and it was time to make new ones.
In the long run, will I be remembered for my failures? Will I even be remembered for my successes? I doubt either. What I will be remembered for, more likely, is how I traveled the journey. I make mistakes. I move forward. I try again. I make mistakes again. I fail. I succeed. I keep going.
Something to keep in mind each time you face a seemingly insurmountable task: try, make mistakes, fail, succeed, but ultimately, keep going - it's how you've traveled the journey that people will remember.
Regardless of whether the failure was significant or not, or led to future success or not, one thing I can say I'm thankful for, is that I try - that I keep going.
This is a lesson I hope to instill in my children. We are not successful because we fail, we are successful because we try, we fail, and we pick ourselves up and try again, and again, and again. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we still fail. And that sucks. I mean REALLY SUCKS! But, even if we don't succeed in the task at hand. We can still succeed. We can grow and learn from our failures and make adjustments for the future. And still, I would rather try and fail than never risk trying.
Because, to never risk trying means never growing and learning, and never ultimately succeeding.
So, here I find myself growing in new, unexpected ways. I have found myself having to try this recovering from an accident thing. There have already been times that I've failed. But, there have also been great successes. And, I keep trying, I keep going - making adjustments with each failure so that I can try again.
Because the majority of people reading this probably hasn't had exactly the same experiences I've had (which I'm thankful you haven't), I will use a very real, but also relatable example: returning to the gym. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't lift more than 10 pounds. I couldn't pedal for an hour long spin class. I couldn't stay balanced enough to even walk on the treadmill. I could have quit after the first time or two. I could have just given up in disgust and disappointment that my body doesn't work like it used to. But, what would that have accomplished - only continuing to be disappointed in myself, and only ensuring that my body wouldn't go back to working like it used to.
So, I kept going back, frustrating gym session after frustrating gym session. And then, I noticed something - I was getting stronger. I was able to do those things that I had originally not been able to do. I had succeeded in those original goals, and it was time to make new ones.
In the long run, will I be remembered for my failures? Will I even be remembered for my successes? I doubt either. What I will be remembered for, more likely, is how I traveled the journey. I make mistakes. I move forward. I try again. I make mistakes again. I fail. I succeed. I keep going.
Something to keep in mind each time you face a seemingly insurmountable task: try, make mistakes, fail, succeed, but ultimately, keep going - it's how you've traveled the journey that people will remember.
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