We all look at successful people with admiration. We are in awe of their accomplishments and wonder what we can do to experience similar success. So what can you do?
We all have someone we look up to. Often times we look up to a mentor in our own field who has been successful. We admire and respect the success they have achieved throughout their careers. We seek their advice and work hard so we can experience success in our own lives and careers.
Unfortunately we are deprived of evaluating their success from multiple perspectives; we only view their success from our limited vantage point. Often times, we get discouraged because we make mistakes, we fail, and all we see is their success. Such a limited view causes us to forget that success is a journey. Journeys often experience detours, unexpected complications, and delays. We must never forget success is a journey.
I joined the Army in 2002 because I needed to change the course of my life. I had resigned in lieu of termination from more jobs than I would like to remember. I was bitter and hateful towards just about everyone and my marriage was hurting. I wanted to make a better life for myself and my wife and learn a skill I could use in the civilian world. My Dad (a former Vietnam Navy Vet) said it would change my life for the better.
Over the last ten years I have had many teachers, coaches, and mentors; I admired them for their success. I often thought about my mentors and their success and wondered if they ever failed at anything. I can tell you from my vantage point it appeared they never failed once. Then, I did not understand the limitations of looking from the outside in.
From the outside looking in we only see Michael Jordan’s success and not his failure. From the outside looking in we only see Thomas Edison inventor of the light bulb. Together, Thomas A. Edison and Michael Jordan failed a combined 19,000 times, yet they were the best in their respective fields. How is this possible you ask? Thomas A. Edison and Michael Jordan understood success is a journey littered with failures.
If you want to overcome failure and experience success try the following:
1. Always remember failure is an opportunity to learn and grow.
2. Don’t take it personal.
3. Take time and think about the cause of your failure. Develop a plan and fix the issues that caused you to fail.
4. Always remember success is a journey not a destination.
What failures have you experienced? How did you learn and grow from them?
