Aug
Failed again!
Are those words ones of disgust or accomplishment? Yes, I said, “Accomplishment.” How do you look at your failures? Do you feel like you are constantly repeating them? Are you frustrated by them?
I recently experienced a failure where I knew what I wanted to do and worked all the way to the point of completing the task that I wanted to accomplish, only to fail at the moment of execution. I just didn’t act. I was mad at myslef for a few minutes. I then practiced what I believe is the most important thing you can do when you fail. I forgave myself and started to question myself about why I didn’t act. I didn’t beat myself up, I just asked, “Why?” The answers started slowly, but I soon began to realize that I had responded the way I did because I was concerned about what others thought about me. It is something that I have been working on with a lot of success, but here it was again. Was I a failure? I chose to not to accept that story. I had a failure happen, but I am not a failure.
You may think that I am just splitting hairs, but over the next few days, all that questioning paid off when I had a different circumstance come up that got me asking questions again, and guess what? Yep, the same issue was at the root. I was concerned with what others thought about me. It taught me a valuable lesson about myself, and I grew from both failures. I came out ahead because I was determined to change and act and think differently. I am now more empowered to act under similar circumstances because I know what was motivating me to not act before, but with greater understanding and a firm conviction to change that behavior, I have confidence to be different without worrying what others think about how I am going to act. There really is power and freedom in that realization.
So, I pose the question again. Are those words of disgust or accomplishment? For me, when I remember to find value in my failures, they are definitely accomplishments. I hope that you choose to see them that way. I know that when you do, your life is going to change in some pretty positive ways.
