The second Friday of January has been deemed Quitter's Day. The day is intended to encourage those who are giving up on their New Year's Resolutions to keep pushing towards their goals even if they do not do it perfectly.
Many view it as failure when they do not meet all of their goals; it can be a painful experience, leading to embarrassment and shame. But, what if we could reframe the experience of "failing" by looking at the bigger picture?
Most of our success is a process. We don't wake up knowing new skills; we need practice. So, ask yourself if failing is simply a footstep on the path to greatness. Are there ways to modify your goals that will still take you in the direction you want to go?
Let’s explore this topic and see why many leaders deem failure necessary.
Growth From Failure
Think about one of your greatest achievements. Did you accomplish it easily without any challenges? Most likely you didn't because messing up is part of the learning process.
Winston Churchill said, "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." Accepting our failures as part of a bigger picture helps us from letting discouragement hold us back.
Making a mistake gives us valuable information. When we embrace these mistakes, we can take what we’ve learned and apply it toward achieving our goals. It can also be a chance to reconsider and modify our goals.
Limits of Playing it Safe
Elon Musk allows failing to be an option in his work, saying, "If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough."
Understanding the importance of failing, frees us up to risk, try, fail, and learn more. If you never fail, your goals may be too small. It might keep you from failure but will limit your ability for growth. Achieving greatness inherently comes with the risk of failure.
If we can embrace our mistakes as a part of learning, we will not need to play it safe. We will be free to try innovative ideas with the potential for huge success. No one is good at something the first time they try, but there are benefits in taking a risk!
Failing Forward
Many people seen as the most successful were often considered failures at one point. Did you know that Howard Schultz was rejected for a loan 242 times before he secured the funds to start Starbucks?
I like the term "failing forward." We fail forward when we keep persevering despite failure, knowing that failing is a part of the learning process. Embracing this truth frees you up to be (and accomplish) all you can be!
So, when you start to feel like a failure, remember the words of J.M Barrie who authored Peter Pan. He says, “We are all failures - at least the best of us are.”
What would you try if you knew you wouldn't fail? How can you embrace failure, knowing it is part of the process?
Dr. Jamie