Failing Forward
A lot has been said over the years about failing. Failing has had a bad rap. Failing is part of life. Nobody succeeds all time. In fact, if you are not failing, you are not living. Life is a roller coaster. There are ups and downs and sometimes you feel like you are just going to throw up from the ride.
But what if you could fail forward? How in the world could you do that? What would it look like?
Principle 1. Forget the things of the past. Focus on the here and now. You can’t go forward looking in the rearview mirror. Let go of the past and live each day as if it were your last because none of us know what tomorrow brings.
Principle 2. Just because you failed does not make you a failure. There is a big difference between the two. One is an activity, and one is the person.
Principle 3. You only become a failure if you refuse to get up and try again. When you stumble, and you will, get up and take one step forward.
Principle 4. Have a clear goal. Identify your “why.” Why are you doing what you do? Is it to provide for your family, to retire rich, to be able to give to others, to pay off your debt? Your “why” will give you incentive to get up and not stay down. Remember your “why” when you have those days of asking yourself, “What the heck am I doing???”
Principle 5. Failure is not fatal. Put your failures in perspective. Tomorrow is another day.
We have all failed a thousand times, and I have quit a thousand times (at least in my mind). That does not matter if your priorities stay in focus and you force yourself to stay plugged in. Do you think Abraham Lincoln was a failure? Do you realize he got beat like a drum numerous times before he finally got elected? Thomas Edison failed thousands of times before the lights finally came on. You can probably think of a lot more, and maybe even some personal examples.
My hope for you is that you fail forward. Allow yourself to learn from your mistakes, then shake the dust off of yourself, get up and move on. Fail forward. Success is within your grasp. Never lose sight of that.
Shalom!
Dan Skognes