7 THINGS YOU PROBABLY DON’T KNOW ABOUT FAILURE

Some years ago I made a serious mistake. I was literally down, depressed, downcast, and dejected. I was actually plunging down the abyss of mediocrity and inferiority complex when a good friend (Lola Adetiba, Ilorin) handed me a copy of John C. Maxwell’s book, FAILING FORWARD. The book was a miracle!

While flipping through the book, I caught sight of a quotation by Kyle Rote, Jr. It which says, “There is no doubt in my mind that there are many ways to be a winner, but there is really only one way to be a loser and that is to fail and not look beyond the failure.”

As if that was wasn’t enough, I stumbled on yet another quotation in the same book by Nelson Boswell which says “The difference between greatness and mediocrity is often how an individual views a mistake.”

Until then, my perspective about failure was negative and self-depressing, but the book changed my paradigm to that of positivity and self-encouragement.

Additionally, I discovered seven (7) GREAT TRUTHS about failure which I’d like to share with you now:

1. FAILURE IS NOT AVOIDABLE:
No matter whom you are or what you do, you can’t be immune to mistakes. As long as you are a human being, living in a world of uncertainties and faced with making choices daily, then you’re liable to fail, falter or stumble at some point in time.

“To err is human, to forgive divine.”
Alexander Pope

2. FAILURE IS NOT AN EVENT:
Most often, failure is not what you plan for with conscious awareness but an occurrence from the culmination of uncertain phenomena and conditions. Failure is a learning process. However, we as much as plan for failure as much as we plan for success if we don’t make every effort to minimize our failure rate.

“Success is, knowing your purpose in life, growing to reach your potential and sowing seeds that benefit others.”
John C. Maxwell

3. FAILURE IS NOT OBJECTIVE:
It is only you that can determine whether your mistake is a failure or not. In other words, whatever happens to you is a small matter compared to what happens in you. After performing almost a thousand failed experiments, Thomas Edison was asked if he considered those experiments a failure, he replied, “No, I’ve just discovered a thousand ways not to do it right.”

“You are the only person who determines (or label) what you do a failure. Your perception of and response to your mistakes determine whether your actions are failures.”
John C. Maxwell

4. FAILURE IS NOT THE ENEMY:
We often consider failure as an enemy that must be fought or as an obstacle that we must overcome. The truth is, failure is the catalyst which propels us to greater heights of success. When we fail, we discover our strengths and weaknesses, and we also learn from our mistakes. This enables us to chart a clearer path and follow the right direction.

“Failure is good. It’s fertilizer. Everything I’ve learned about coaching I’ve learned from mistakes.”
Rick Pitino (NBA coach)

5. FAILURE IS NOT IRREVERSIBLE:
Failure gives us the opportunity to start over again with renewed interest, enthusiasm and motivation. Though the scars may remain, there is always a healing process if we can allow ourselves to recover.

“It doesn’t matter how much milk you spill, as long as you don’t lose your cow.”
Old Texas Proverb

6. FAILURE IS NOT A STIGMA:
According to John C. Maxwell, “Mistakes are not permanent markers.” That is, failures will serve as temporary pains that would push us to the wall, and ultimately pull us towards permanent gains. Yes,

“Defeats may serve as well as victory to shake the soul and let the glory out.”
Sam Erwin

7. FAILURE IS NOT FINAL:
A bend in the road is not the end of the road! In fact, it is when we come to the inevitable bends of our lives that we have the greatest opportunity to think, reflect, and act positively. That you’ve failed does not mean the end of the road for you, or the end of your life quest. NO!

I have discovered that it is much better to fail in doing something than to succeed in doing nothing! Do you know that those who don’t make mistakes end up taking orders from those who have? Yes, because through failing, you will know that there is certainly a right way and wrong way of doing something. A notable motivational speaker, Willie Jolley emphasized,
“A setback is certainly a set-up for a comeback.”

The greatest men and women who ever lived were those who at one point in their lives had to face the harsh realities of mistakes and failures. But the main reason why their names are etched in gold in Life’s Hall of Fame is that they kept rising up whenever they fell down!

The greatest calamity that can befall a man is to fall and not rise up again. A man will continue to wallow in mediocrity and self-deprivation as long as he continues to blame himself or others for his mistakes or failures.

It is high time you changed your perspective about failure, if you must live your dreams and attain your desired goals and objectives.

Remember,
WHEN WE GIVE OURSELVES PERMISSION TO FAIL, WE AT THE SAME TIME GIVE OURSELVES THE PERMISSION TO EXCEL.
-Eloise Ristad

You will succeed!

Contact me at stephenobasun@gmail.com