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FEATURE ARTICLE
Get Out There and Fail!
Five
questions to ask yourself if you are discouraged by failures and are not
getting the results you want.
Remember when
you learned how to ride a bike. With training wheels it was easy and a
good introduction but you yearned to ride fee. Then the training wheels
came off and things became more difficult.
You are
scared---but excited! You struggle to stay upright and endured the
inevitable falls, bumps, bruises, and scrapes. You kept going. You
looked forward to the time when you would succeed, when you would at
last ride free on your own. So, you kept at it every day and eventually
mastered the skill of riding a bike.
Any one
relate?
Let’s examine
how you now approach the development of new skills. Do
you jump at the chance to move forward applying new skills with
excitement; do you have the will to perform unsuccessfully until you
master the challenge? Do you jump at the chance to try something new or
to “prove yourself” in the face of unforeseen obstacles? If you are
like most people the answer is probably no.
So what’s has
changed today between you and your bike learning days? For one thing,
I’ll bet that you’ve become a lot more concerned about other people’s
opinions. You probably often hesitate because of the possibility people
will criticize and ridicule. Sure it can be uncomfortable to try
something new, perhaps even scary, but if you take your eye off the goal
and instead focus your attention on how others may be viewing you, you
are doing yourself a gigantic disservice.
Successful
people learn to fail their way to success. While they may not
particularly enjoy failures, they recognize them as a necessary part of
the road to victory. After all, proficiency at any skill requires time,
effort, and discipline…and the willingness to persevere through the
difficulties that may arise.
Failure means
you reached the end of the line and that success is not possible. The
only time that happens is when you quit! Quitting is final. But
continued attempts, with commitment and diligence, can be turned into
success.
If you are not
getting the results you want or have been discouraged by failure, ask
yourself these questions:
1.
Do I
have an unrealistic timetable?
Maybe you
expect to “skip steps” and succeed on a grand scale immediately.
Success is usually achieved by climbing one step at a time. So, be
patient with yourself---and resist the temptation to compare your
progress with that of others.
2.
Am I
truly committed?
Do you have a
burning desire to achieve your goal? It’s essential that you be willing
to do whatever it takes (within legal and ethical bonds, of course) and
that you banish any thought of giving up before you accomplish
3.
Do I
have too many discouraging influences?
Unsuccessful
results can be frustrating. That’s why we need to surround ourselves
with those who support and believe in us. If you sleep with dogs you
wake up with fleas.
4.
Am I
preparing to succeed?
Success in any
endeavor requires thorough preparation. Are you taking steps to learn
everything you can about accomplishing your goal? This means reading
books, taking courses, networking with highly successful people in your
field. It means finding a mentor or a coach to work with you.
Successful people are always sharpening their skills.
5.
Am I
truly willing to fail?
Face it: it is
going to happen. You will encounter defeat before you succeed. Look at
failure squarely in the face and see it as a natural part of the success
process. Do not take it personal. It is not about you as a person.
(bad or good)
The truth is,
when you are not afraid to fail, you are well on the way to success.
Welcome failure as an unavoidable yet vital component in the quest to
achieve your goals. Your failures are learning experiences that
point out the adjustments you must make.
No you won't
close every sale. And you won’t make money on every investment. Life
is a series of wins and losses, even for the most successful. Make it
your business to learn from every defeat and stay focused on the end
result you wish to attain, failure will eventually lead you to success.
Want more of
this come to my Jump-Start Work shop …
From the best selling book “Attitude is Everything" by Jeff Keller. |
OCTOBER 2005 Edition
