Did you know that failure is a hallmark of highly successful people?
There’s an important question that many successful people of our time were asked when they were kids, and they attribute that question to their success today.
That question is “What did you fail at today?” or “What did you fail at this week?”
It’s such a brilliant question, because we know that in order to be successful, failure is going to be a part of that. Just like when we were learning to walk, or to ride our bikes, we learned by falling down. Anytime we’re trying something new, failure is going to be a part of that process.
What I’ve seen happen culturally, now especially with social media, is we’re so afraid to fall down, especially in the public eye. We’re worried about the negative comments, the backlash, being publicly criticized, that it’s easier not to act or say anything at all.
When you consider your goals or your vision, usually they are something that you haven’t accomplished before. Chances are, on your way to reach your goals, you’re going to fail your way there. When they travelled to the moon, they failed their way to the moon. They were constantly course-correcting off and on, off and on, until they got to their destination.
It’s so important to give ourselves permission to fail. Give yourself permission to say the wrong thing, to take the wrong action steps. I know that’s what I want for my kids. I want them to have permission to try new things, to fall down, and to get it wrong. And I also want them to know that they can trust me to be that safe place for them to fall.
That’s the invitation for all of us right now. Be a safe place for yourself. If you say the wrong thing, if you do the wrong thing, make sure that you are kind to yourself. Pick yourself up, be gentle and say good job for trying. Good job for getting out there, good job for stretching yourself. Be a gentle place not only for yourself, but for other people. When you see somebody trying something new, maybe speaking out, encourage them. Celebrate them for stretching outside their comfort zone. As we do that, we all grow.
How have you failed today? How have you failed this week? As you’re moving towards your goals and dreams, remember that failure is a prerequisite to growth.
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Here is to you living a life you love,
Stacey
