I am a total perfectionist who used to see failure as getting a B in school. Don’t laugh at me! I’ve always wanted to do things perfectly and be the best I can. I’ve come to realize that failure is in the eyes of the beholder.
As you can imagine, fear of failure was a struggle of mine that kept me from reaching my potential growing up. For example, I was afraid to shoot the basketball in high school so I didn’t unless I felt I had to. I didn’t want to embarrass myself in front of everyone if I messed up. Can you relate?
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Wayne Gretzky
Many of you know that a lot of people don’t end up using their degree as planned. If you’re like me, you find positions that require any 4-year degree but not my specific one. Can anyone relate?
After college, I applied to Physical Therapy school and did not get accepted by the one school I wanted to go to badly – OU. I felt like a complete failure and that my 4 years in college were a complete waste of time.
I could’ve gone to another school out of state but didn’t have peace about it. I had no way of knowing that my Dad would get diagnosed with cancer, but God did. I also had no way of knowing I would meet my future spouse by staying, but God did.
Now I can see the big picture that God closed doors for a purpose. He knew the future better than I did. He knew me better than I knew myself. He knew I couldn’t handle the sight of blood or injuries well. Ultimately my dream was to help people and I am still living that dream just in a different way.
“The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure.” John C. Maxwell
I’ve come to learn that making mistakes are just apart of life. Sometimes we make mistakes and sometimes we don’t succeed in what we set out to do. It might be that we need to continue trying and breakthrough is around the corner. Or it might be that God has another plan for your life than you did.
Here are 3 Ways to Fight Failure:
- Don’t be afraid to try and make mistakes.
- Don’t be worried about what others think about you.
- Don’t miss out on opportunities to use your talents.
Thomas Edison made the great point when he said: “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” When a reporter asked Edison, “How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?” Edison replied, “I didn’t fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”
Reading the bookFailing Forward by John C. Maxwell has been a game changer for me. I’m only into chapter 4 but it’s so good. I encourage you to read it too. A couple of things that have stood out to me most so far are:
- Don’t take mistakes personally
- Keep moving forward
- Redefine what failure means in your life
- Taking calculated risks is a good thing
Did you know that in The Psychology of Achievement, Brian Tracy found that it took an average of 17 failed businesses before finding one that made multiple people millionaires by the age of 35? They kept trying and adapting until they found what worked.
John C. Maxwell says we should redefine what failure is but maybe we need to also redefine what success is. Is it in a job title, salary figure, social media famous, million dollar business, or in having a new house? When will enough be enough? Maybe we should re-evaluate our priorities and goals.
Sometimes it’s not time to quit but it’s time to continue forward.
Know that you are not a failure. If one thing didn’t happen as planned, it’s okay. Another opportunity will come.
Your breakthrough might be right around the corner closer than you realize. I could easily feel discouraged that my blog following isn’t as much as I would like. Instead, I realize that it’s not about the numbers, it’s about me continuing to share hope with you all. When I’m giving anyone a glimmer of hope, that is when I’m truly successful.
God has great plans to bring you hope and a future. He designed you on purpose with the giftings you possess. Join me in working to use those talents without fear of failure.
A Prayer For You
Lord Jesus, please show me how to redefine what failure means in my life. Help me to not take mistakes personally and lose sight of the big picture. Give me courage to try new things until I find what works best and do what You’ve called me to do. Above all, let Your will be done in and through me to others. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Stay hopeful!
What is your new definition of failure or success?
