Failure is something that none of us ever plans for but is part of the human condition. As we go through our lives, it is rare to have never experienced this phenomenon. So as we experience failure, how do we accept it and move on if we are unable to admit it?
I am not suggesting that when we fail that we broadcast our failure to the world at large. I am suggesting though that admitting failure is necessary if we are ever to be successful.
An admission of failure is a very personal thing and it should be done with those whom we have a special relationship. Often we can find it difficult to admit to those we love that we have failed. It is especially difficult to admit failure to those who perhaps expected our failure from the beginning.
To be wildly successful at any venture requires us to go into it with a specific idea of what success looks like. if we have not defined success before we attempt something, how do we know when it is time to give up on it and try something else?
Most people define success with a dollar amount attached, but it is not always a financial reward that comes with success. Often success is totally unrelated to finance.
Therefore, we must be prepared to make a determination as to what success looks like. If our success depends on financial reward, we need to know what we must do to achieve that reward, otherwise we invite failure. If on the other hand success is determined by the impact that we have on the lives of others, we can not always expect that this success will have financial reward.
So is it possible then to actually fail and succeed at the same time? This is the point that I would like you to ponder. As you go through your life, ask yourself what impact you have had on the lives of others. Then weigh that impact against the financial result that you have achieved. It may not be a situation where you can claim a financial victory immediately, but you may find you are primed to go forward and accomplish something that will reap a greater reward in the future.
Whether we are successful now or have been in the past, we are all involved in a process of "Failing Forward." I believe that to achieve success we must all be prepared to be supportive of others as they too are in this process.
Jeffery Glaze is the author of "The Ultimate Guide For Web Site Owners,"www.websiteguidebook.com, founder and editor of www.NAWSO.com, National Association Of Web Site Owners, and a speaker, author of several e-books, business owner and artist. President of Mostcool Media Inc., Jeff Glaze is available to speak to your group and can be contacted at 678.508.5975 or jeff@mostcoolmedia.com.
» left by Susan Thom(9,120) Susan Thom (283 days 23 hours ago.)
hi jeffrey,
i think this is another well written article.
and yes, failure is a hard thing to admit and accept, but as you say, with someone close, you can weather the storm and be ready for more. thanks for sharing, watch your paragraphs-sometimes you have to edit them before you submit.
best regards,
sue thom Respond to this comment
» left by Teresa Ortiz(4,920) Teresa Ortiz (283 days ago.)
Hi Jeffrey, I love this article. Well done. I think that admitting failure or mistakes is the first step to sucess, personal and financial. When we admit we have failed, we give ourselves permission to learn and do it better next time. Keep writing. You provide very good information. Respond to this comment
» left by Jodi from Beaverton, OR USA (277 days 2 hours ago.)
Hi Jeffrey,
In response to your question "So is it possible then to actually fail and succeed at the same time?"
Yes, anytime we fail and learn something in the process we succeed. It is when we fail AND fail to learn that we do not succeed.
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