Failure Is The Preliminary To Success

There are so many people who want us to fail before we begin. Many of them don’t even realize this is their desire. They hear our plans and think to themselves or say out loud “that’s not going to work”, “you can’t do that”, etc. OK. So what if we do fail before we begin? We start something and right before we begin on it we decide it’s not right for us? What then? Does that make us a failure? Sure, there will be those that will nod their heads and say “I told you so”. or they will say “I knew it”. So? What do they have to do with the equation? The real equation is us and our needs and desires. It’s easy to get excited about things, and then, once further analyzed, realize it’s not for us. It’s OK. At least we thought the situation through before jumping in with both feet. Saving our whole body jump for something that not only sounds right, but feels right and works with our needs and desires is a better plan anyway. If we continue to look at these changed directions as failures, then who has won? Certainly not us. Understand that our power lies in our final decision, not the stop and go’s before that. Indecision is a normal process of getting to know what our true desires are. If we don’t think it through first, then it’s just based on luck as to whether it will work out or not. Sometimes a false start gives us the time we need to step back and more fully embrace the idea. This can lead to a direction either away from or toward. Sometimes it can be both. Moving away from something that we later decide is right for us is not a bad thing. As a matter of fact, it can be the best thing for us. Because we have had time to look at it from every angle, we have more of a commitment toward it. There is no shame in changing direction when it’s right for us or when it’s not right for us. There is power in choice, especially when it leads to a solid and fulfilling  commitment.

~Janice M. Burke

Image by Andrea Piacquadio