Have you ever heard the saying, “if at first you do not succeed, try, try again?” Or what about The Little Engine That Could, who tried relentlessly to make it up the hill, chanting over and over again: “I think I can, I think I can.” The point is, in order to gain success, we must at times experience failure.
I am sure some of you are thinking life would be much easier if we did not have to go through the ‘bad stuff’. How wonderful life would be if ‘failure’ did not exist. I agree with you. There are experiences that I wish I did not have to go through, and decisions I wish I had not made. There are times when I compare my life as it is to how I wish it to be. Just recently, while at physical therapy, I found myself thinking: “how did I get here?” Here I am, with two broken legs, reliant on the use of a walker, out of shape and trying to do basic things like going up steps. I should be living the life of a normal 25-year-old, going out with friends, dating, working hard in my dream career…enjoying life. I felt like a failure. While all my friends are out traveling the country, I am stuck here…with my cane. Then I realized, the cane I am using, and everything I have experienced throughout the last year is only making me stronger! What I considered a failure is really strength.
Without failure, there would be no success. It is like Lavern and Shirley, you cannot have one without the other. What makes the difference is how you look at it. It is important to be optimistic, and not weighed down when things do not go your way. Most importantly, continue to work hard to achieve whatever it is you are striving for.
It took Thomas Edison 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. Bill Gates dropped out of college before creating Microsoft. Steven Spielberg was rejected from the University of Southern California School of Theater, Film and Television three times before becoming known as one of Hollywood’s greatest directors. Walt Disney was bankrupt and fired by a newspaper editor because, “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” Walt Disney! The creator of Disney World! The list goes on and on. All of these great people, who achieved so much, FAILED.
Instead of becoming sad and depressed when things do not go your way, I dare you to look at your failures as stepping-stones towards success. Be encouraged that although it did not work out this time, you are one step closer to greatness…you just have to keep working at it. From failure comes success. Believe in yourself.
Until Next Time,
<3
“resilience in the face of adversity”
