Failure itself is not a failure — it’s mearely a precious experience. Advance to the next step by making use of this experience. What is success and what is failure is a matter of self-evaluation and is of no concern to others. Even if you have broken up your marriage, become bankrupt, flunked your exams, it’s not appropritae to call the event itself a failure. Reflecting on the event, you have merely called up the idea of failure in your mind. If however, you can make the event the motivation toward the next step, the event is never a failure. It was merely one point on the path to success that you had to pass by. –Masami Saionji
So many people are afraid of failure, but what is that? It is merely a negative thought. In life there are only experiences. Sometimes things turn out the way we planned and we call that a success. Sometimes things don’t turn out and we call that a failure. Instead of deciding something is a failure, why not just decide it’s one step on the path to success? So many wonderful things exist that were intially failures. The ubiquitous “Post-it note” was a failed glue that wasn’t quite sticky enough. The chocolate chip cookie was a baking mistake.
Don’t dwell on failures other than to learn from them or see how they can be turned into something better….
Homework:
Think back to your failures in life. Make a list of them in your online journal. How have they changed your life for the better? Perhaps you failed a job interview and then landed an even better job? You failed an exam and had to take a class with a teacher who changed your life or inspired you? You ended one relationship to attract a better one? You got fired and were forced to find work you enjoyed instead? If you look closely at your failures, you will see that they are the doors to new and different opportunities and experiences, nothing else.
Now take a moment to think about what you would do if you weren’t afraid of failure. Is there something you’d do if you knew you couldn’t fail? Would you end a relationship? Would you start a new business? Make a list of all the things you would do in your online journal. As Cheryl Richardson says, “Take a risk. You have the power within to move mountains.”
10 Minute Option:
Spend 10 minutes in your online journal writing about the above.
Enjoy!
Talane
