Accept that Failure is Just Feedback and Embrace it as a Learning Journey

Whoever told you that failure exists lied to you with a straight face.

Failure doesn’t exist. It’s just feedback of how to do something differently.

Mostly all of the work I do in my profession assists my clients to unpack the lies that are holding them back in this life.

Imagine if you didn’t get walking ‘right’ the FIRST time you did it and were made to feel like walking just isn’t for you so you shouldn’t and didn’t bother to ever try again in your life.

The muscles in your legs would atrophy, the ligaments and tendons would become flaccid and your breathing is now hindered.

All because you ‘failed’ after one try to do something you have never done before.

Thankfully, if you were physically able you were encouraged and you had the internal compass to try again until you ‘got’ the hang of it.

This is true of ANYthing that you attempt to do in your lifetime.

Don’t believe the hype. You are not alone and you will always be a beginner at something provided you are always reaching for more in your life.

When I tried on rental roller skates for the first time, I was thrilled and horrified all at the same time.

My song was playing (no I don’t remember what the song was - but getting to the wood was urgent (that’s what true skaters call it).

Everyone was going so fast and they were so big.

Granted I was eight years old. Once I realized I had never been on skates, my legs wobbled.

I (barely) made it to the wall that separated the ‘safe zone’ from the skating floor. I watched as people grooved to the beat, laughing, turning and balancing themselves on their skates.

I marveled at them AND I wanted to be one of them!

All nervousness and doubt left me and I dashed on the floor and fell immediately.

I got up quickly, I wanted to twirl and get lost in the music too.

But, it did not happen on that day or many days and months to come.

Template was set : I had a picture in my mind of what I wanted to feel like and look like from my first experience of being in a roller rink.

I tried again and again for years. I didn’t let a fall or a bruise stop me from my roller skating goals.

My mother, my brother and me were obsessed.

Skating took up all day Saturdays and Sundays from 10am or 11am to 7pm.

My mom and me planned our outfits in advance.

I practiced my turns or whatever I was working on mastering at the time in between sessions, I made every moment count.

"I love this game. I live this game. There's a thousand other guys waiting in the wings who are obsessed with this game. Obsession is going to beat talent every time".

-Stanley Sugerman (Adam Sandler) HUSTLE 2022 NETFLIX

If I accepted failure, I would have taken those skates off where I landed on my butt when I fell the first time, tossed them somewhere and never looked back.

But the spark that was ignited was so much bigger than what being a beginner looked like from the outside.

There is no failure just feedback.

Meeting the floor or bumping into someone was my feedback to slow down, turn or accelerate.

It never stopped me because the potential of fun was on the other side.

The success is the fun I was experiencing.

How can you know what success is if you don’t fall?

Answer : You Can’t.

You will need to regroup, review where you misstepped and then do it again.

See the end in mind, see yourself accomplishing the goal.

The key is to not give up on the dreams you have for your life.

So…’FAIL’ quickly.

No matter where you are in your journey, remember that every attempt is a victory in itself.

Failure isn't a final destination; it's part of the landscape on your path to success.