Thursday, May 28

Failing Forward


I think this t-shirt is right on the money! Of course, it depends on at which point you are standing on your Life timeline, and whether you are looking forward or looking back along that line. I know for me, when I look back along the timeline, FAILURE was absolute and I took it personally. That was only a short time ago...a matter of years. It's amazing how a few short years can make a difference to viewing FAILURE in the right context. And honestly...that's all it is, I believe. As John Maxwell said, "The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to Failure."

It reminds me of something Alby said to me just before he left for NZ (and he is doing wonderfully BTW)..."You're not like the younger girls - you don't have any baggage". HA! I had to set him straight on that one, real quick. I replied that it wasn't that I don't have any baggage, because I've had alot of shit happen in my life. It's just that I'm in a place right now where I've come through the worst of it (baggage), and I've finally figured some stuff out. And one of those things that's made the ultimate difference in the quality of my life is my response to failure. Because, I've failed alot. And every time after I failed, when I got back up and I dusted myself off, I would keep asking myself why? Alot of the time, I didn't get it, and kept going back for more, and there I would find myself...flat on the ground...sucker-punched again - not knowing why. Talk about a slow learner!

So how do you view failure? Could it be a reason why you are not moving forward? Are you afraid of failing?

So here I am...in a fantastic place. I know it's not going to be like this all the time. Life has a way of taking your legs from under you when you least expect it. However...I am now better prepared and believe it or not...I now view my failures as something to be proud of, because then I know I'm on the right track and moving in the right direction - forward.

If I'm failing then I know at least I'm having a crack at life and it will be a rich and rewarding one, full of exciting adventures and learnings. It makes me giddy just thinking about the next thing I'm going to have a crack at - and no doubt there'll be alot of failings in-between. But hell...aren't we just so lucky to have the soughts of lives that allow us to pursue whatever goal we aspire to? That, my friends is surely a gift to truly appreciate.

I leave you with an excerpt from the book by John C. Maxwell called 'Failing Forward'...

"It's All in How You Look At It

If you tend to focus on the extremes of success and failure and to fixate on particular events in your life, try to put things into perspective. When you do, you'll be able to share the philosophy of someone such as the apostle Paul, who was able to say, "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content." And that was saying alot, considering that Paul had been shipwrecked, whipped, beaten, stoned, and imprisoned. Throughout everything, his faith enabled him to maintain perspective. He realised that as long as he was doing what he was supposed to do, this being labeled success or failure by others really didn't matter.

Every person's life is filled with errors and negative experiences. But know this: Errors become mistakes when we perceive them and respond to them incorrectly. Mistakes become failures when we continually respond to them incorrectly.

People who fail forward are able to see errors or negative experiences as a regular part of life, learn from them, and then move on. They persevere in order to achieve their purpose in life.

Washington Irving once commented, "Great minds have purpose; others have wishes. Little minds are subdued by misfortunes; but great minds rise above them."

The terrible truth is that all roads to achievement lead through the land of failure. It has stood firmly between every human being who had a dream and the realisation of that dream. The good news is that anyone can make it through failure. That's why author Rob Parsons maintained that "tomorrow belongs to the failures."

Too many people believe that the process is supposed to be easy. The prolific American inventor Thomas Edison observed that attitude among people. And this is how he responded: Failure is really a matter of conceit. People don't work hard because, in their conceit, they imagine they'll succeed without ever making an effort. Most people believe that they'll wake up some day and find themselves rich. Actually, they've got it half right, because eventually they do wake up.

Each of us has to make a choice. Are we going to sleep life away, avoiding failure at all costs? Or are we going to wake up and realise this: Failure is simply a price we pay to achieve success. If we learn to embrace that new definition of failure, then we are free to start moving ahead - and failing forward."

Have a great day! :)

6 comments:

Nicole said...

Hi Kerry. I've been lying low for a while. I just love your posts. Do I see a little bit of NLP training coming through in some of your posts....? I love where you are at and its a weird feeling because I see myself drifting to that place and back out again constantly. For me, the piece that's missing is the consistency of being in that place of appreciation and looking back at my Life timeline and smiling, then looking forward on my Life timeline and feeling the enthusiasm and excitment for what I will create... Thanks for posting stuff that I GET!

Kerry W said...

Ha..Ha..yeah Nicole. I didn't actually realise until you said it, but yeah...NLP..the timeline thing. It goes to show how well it worked when I had some coaching a few years ago,to sought out a few issues. It obviously worked, because I use alot of the techniques and it has made life so much easier. Oh...glad you GET IT! ;) I don't think alot of people do. But that's okay...this blog is about where I'm at, and my head space. Sometimes what goes on in my head is even a bit too scary for me. :O

BTW...I tried to leave a comment on your blog, but I'm again having trouble. I can access it okay, it's just when I try to post a comment, internet explorer gives a strange error message. I just wanted to say congratulations on your 10km fun achievement! And I love the sound of the property you put in an offer on. I really do hope you get it! If you do, you will have to post some pics, because it sounds like something I would love. Sorry to hear about the cancellation of your event. Though it sounds like you've gained alot of positives from it, in the way of networking and other skills - a great attitude Nicole, to put such a positive spin on it!

Ciao for now...Kerry :)

SeLiNa said...

Great post Kerry - I googled the guy that said that - might have to invest in his book :)

Kerry W said...

Hey Selina

I think you need to talk to your coach...aka LizN...she's a John Maxwell enthusiast too, and has the book (Failing Forward). :)

Oh...Nicole...that was '10km fun run', BTW...oops.

Anonymous said...

Hi Kerry,
thanks for dropping by my blog the other day :)
This entry helped get me back into the headspace I need to be in. I am only day 3 into my program and today is the first day that I've had some struggles.
Anyhoo.. I didn't succumb to the old fallback (stress=eat crap food)
so thanks! :)

Kerry W said...

Hi Daire

I'm glad I could help. Good to see you're making good choices and changing old habits in such a short space of time. Just tackle it one day at a time...one week at a time. :)

 

NO ORDINARY MOMENTS Copyright © 2010 | Designed by: Compartidisimo