“Never been a better time than right now” – Red Hot Chilli Peppers
This is post 3 on my quest for 30 in 30 days
I’ve been reading a lot lately about the idea of failure. It seems to me that all too often we allow our own success or failure be determined by someone else’s standards. I think failure is a highly personal thing. Only you can decide what is a failure to you. Nobody else has the ability to decide if what you’ve done has failed or not and don’t even get me started on the idea that a person can be a failure. So the main thing to remember is that failure is whatever you decide it is.
I’ve found that establishing your personal definition of failure is the first big step to not failing. Do a Twitter search for failure and you’re going to see any number of ideas on the subject. Some talk about the epic failure of this or the collosal failure of that. These are all personal definitions of failure belonging to the individuals expressing them. I find it best not to let myself be judged by anyone else’s definition of failure but my own. For me failure is one of only two things:
1. Failure to start
2. Failure to finish
The only way I fail is by succumbing to one of these two things. You will have your own definition but be sure it is truly your own and not one placed on you by friends, family or society. So for the sake of argument, let’s say that your definitions are the same as mine. I’ll talk about the first today and the other tomorrow so let me jump right in. The failure to start is a pretty basic concept so today will be short. Odds are you’ve experienced this at some point in your life. You may even be experiencing it now with an idea that you’re having. The failure to start, to execute an idea, to make a move, to do something, anything is 99% of the time has a simple one word root. Fear. You’re afraid of what might happen if things don’t go according to plan. Well, I’ve got to tell you that nothing ever goes 100% according to plan. There are always snafu’s, obstacles and roadblocks. What you have to understand though is that you run a greater risk of something going wrong for you by not doing anything than you do by taking that chance and facing obstacles head on.
Take a moment to think of one of those things you’ve been afraid to start. Now imagine the worst case scenario in that particular situation. Got it? Next I want you to think of what your life would be like if you never made an attempt. Think of where you would be in your life years from now if you didn’t change a thing. Are you alive? Still breathing? Probably. It’s also probable that not much at all will have changed. No chance means no change means no possibility of that worst case scenario becoming a reality.
Now imagine for a second that you do try it and that worst case scenario does indeed becomes reality. Where are you then? Are you alive? Still breathing? Probably. When you break it down to it’s most basic elements, the end result after trying are the same as the end result of not. You’ll still be alive. You’ll still breathing. So with that said, what really is the risk. Things may not go your way if you try. That risk is always there, but they will definitely not go your way if you don’t. There is an old proverb that says “Nothing ventured, nothing gained”. That quote actually dates back to the 14th century so people have had trouble taking a leap for a long time now. It’s nothing new. Many have tried many have not. Those who have were better for it. Those who didn’t I could speculate were no worse for the wear. IS that really how you want to live though? Do you really want to get to the end of your life just to be able to say “Look Ma, I made it.”? The truth is this anybody can do nothing and get nowhere. ANYBODY! Is that really how you want to live though. I know I don’t. I personally prefer a more recent incarnation of the “Nothing Ventured” quote. It’s that of the New York Lottery who’s slogan is “You’ve got to be in it to win it”. It doesn’t get any more basic than that.
Tomorrow, part 2 about my other version of failure, the failure to finish. Once you take the leap there’s just one more thing to do.
Thanks for being here. Talk to you tomorrow.
-JB
_____________
Todays music: Give It Away Now
by Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Available on:
P.S. There’s a website called Someday Syndrome run by a gentleman named Alex Fayle. He helps people to stop putting things off. He gets you up out of your chair and get’s you moving. He can help you focus and be more productive and he can eliminate just about any excuse you may have for not taking action on your dreams and ideas. I highly recommend you check out his site and read the articles he’s written there.