Fail Forward
So, if you’re a Navy SEAL, you may not relate to this post. In a job like that, failure is NOT an option. But, regular life is different. In real life, we want to fail. Fail forward…that is, fail, learn from your mistakes, and take a step forward.
Some of the greatest leaders have been colossal failures. Edison, the Wright Brothers, Steve Jobs, even Albert Einstein. All failures at one (or more) point in their life. Yet, we sure don’t associate their names with failure, do we? That’s because they didn’t get up. They fell forward and contributed to this world in a way that impacts most everyone on the planet.
Whether we’re talking about fitness or business, failure is inevitable. How you respond to failure will define your level of success. Don’t freak out. Don’t fall apart. Don’t fail to learn from your failure.
Here’s a short video that Monica showed me earlier this week that illustrates the point:
I’ll repeat…until I’m blue in the face. I want you to fail forward. Understand that failure is inevitable and that it is the ONLY way to truly learn. If you don’t try, you cannot succeed. Rather than being afraid to fail, relish in the opportunity to become better and stronger.
If you struggle with this issue, I’ve got a book for you. Head over to Amazon and grab John Maxwell’s Failing Forward: Turn Your Failures into Stepping Stones for Success. He delves into one of the key difference between average people and achieving people. Guess what? It has to do with their perception of and response to failure.
I understand this is not an easy hurdle to get over. I’m here to coach you through it if you need me.
