Failing Forward

“Even if you fall flat on your face, you’re still moving forward.”~Victor Kiam

Let’s face it. You’re going to fail. Failure is as natural a part of winning as accepting the championship trophy. It’s not as comfortable to be sure, but it is also necessary. Because you’re human, you will make mistakes. The defining moment comes with what you do with those mistakes.

In his book, Failing Forward, John Maxwell magnificently puts failure in the right perspective. Here are just a few insights:

7 Things Failure is not (From Chapter 2):

1)   Failure is not avoidable—humans are bound to fail sooner or later.

2)   Failure is not an even, but a process. Success is not a destination—it is the journey you take and what you do day to day—success is a process, and so is failure.

3)   Failure is not objective. You are the only person who can label your actions a failure.

 4)   Failure is not the enemy—it takes adversity to achieve success. It is fertilizer.

 5)   Failure is not irreversible.

 6)   Failure is not a stigma—they are not permanent markers. Make each failure a step to success.

 7)   Failure is not final—failure is simply a price we pay to achieve success and if we learn to embrace that new definition of failure, then we can move ahead. It’s the price you pay for success.

 You may be afraid—or at least hesitant—to live your dream because you have failed in the past. That’s pretty common but if you can think of the failure in different framework, it can actually propel you forward toward your goal. Your body and mind are designed to avoid pain. That’s why it’s very difficult to intentionally break your arms or punch yourself in the nose. That’s a good thing. It protects you from potential harm.

When you incorrectly define failure or frame it in a negative way, your mind equates it with pain and naturally avoids anything in which you could fail at doing. That’s why is so important to truly understand what failure is and the role it plays in your life. If you can do that, failure will no longer stand in the way of you living your dream.

 I read Failing Forward right after I started and failed at a business. Ok, the truth is I never really got it off the ground. It seemed like a good idea, at least at first. I decided to be a copywriter. I write, so why not make money at it, right? Trouble was, it just wasn’t for me. I want to write in my voice, not someone else’s. I want to say what’s on my mind, not theirs. I was a dismal failure. Why? I’m NOT a copywriter. I was trying to be something I’m not.

I knew I was destined to be a coach. To help people live their dreams. But when I began to think of a coaching business, I continuously tried to get it out of my mind. After all, I’d failed at my previous business. Reading Failing Forward set me back on the right path.

It can help you, too. That’s why I cannot recommend this book enough. In fact, I’m giving away a copy of it. Leave a comment today and be entered into a drawing to receive a free copy of Failing Forward.

Weekend Challenge: Get the book (also available in Kindle Edition) and read it! Write your thoughts in a journal and apply them to your life.