I Have Failed Before, And You?
Have you failed before and wished the earth could open up and swallow you? I have failed before, so many times. And I have learned a valuable lesson in the process.
Failure is a word used to define a stage. It is not a condemnation of character, a permanent condition, or a fatal flaw. Failure is a judgement about an event. Do note that statement down. It can happen at any stage in your life, to you and to any one you know. I believe failure is a benevolent teacher who, if listened to appropriately, will get you back on track.
Failure can teach you compassion and humility (by stripping away your veneer of pretence, leaving you exposed while reintroducing you to your humanity). Through failure you may be introduced to the reordering of priorities. It will make you realise you will not live forever. Every setback you experience is a 'little death' that makes you wonder where the balance is in your life. Even if this wondering is done 'sotto voce'. If you are lucky failure can become a turning point that forces you to examine your life. And, it is only then that you can be open to change. For those who are extra lucky failure endows a sense of power. When you have lost money, approval in the eyes of others, self-esteem, shelter, and friendship, what kind of power do you have? You have the power of your mind, which translates into: the power to figure out what went wrong and to correct it, the power to reinterpert what happened to you and put it in the most enabling scenario possible, the power to reinvent yourself (by reinterpreting your story, relabeling yourself, and expanding your options), options before you if you choose to see them.
The very thing that seems to render you powerless can, if viewed rightly bestow an inner power that no one can take away.
What am I asking you to make out of this? If there is one lesson I want you to take away with you it is that failure can only render you powerless if you let it. To become aware of the power that failure gifts you with, you will require a reorientatin of thought. How do you do this? - refuse to feel like a failure or victim - take responsibility for your life - forgive yourself - understand that you can change
When you do this you will begin to act differently. Ask me, I appreciate all the failures I have had!
About the Author
Ke o agile is an NLP Coach as well as Editor/Publisher of In TheZone, an NLP focused ezine that coaches creating an abundant lifestyle through strategic goal setting, and peak performance motivation.
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