On Success Part III: The Gift of Failure…
“Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm.” Winston Churchill
“I’ve come to believe that all my past failures and frustrations were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy.” Anthony Robbins
On Success: Failure, Extinction... all part of the journey?
More often than not, the stories we read about successful people rarely underscore their many moments of failure that led them to where they stand today – at the top of their game. We read about the fancy cars, the big mansions, the usual glitter and glamor, while the ugly stuff, you know; hard work, tough decisions, smart opportunities, stolen ideas, back stabbings and petty hatreds are swept under the proverbial table.
Pity really, it is digging deep into this failure stuff that shows the métier of the successful individual. The “unseemly” daily grind, the broken promises, the missed chances and plain out “Not Interested” meetings with potential investors or naysayers are glossed over once good old Joe hits pay dirt. These stories are not always shared even though they are helpful lessons for us to learn. Why?
Perhaps the failure stories are not as exciting to those who wish to sell us the Brooklyn Bridge? Or perhaps, once we discover the remarkable effort and stories of failure shared by people like Creative Commons CEO, Joichi Ito, we will recognize that a lot of the hype on success is suspect.
Read Joichi Ito’s story and about other entrepreneurs who share their stories on the BBC News feature on entrepreneurs and then go review your philosophy on success… Quite frankly, success is about working smart not just hard. Success is about recognizing that failure is a complementary factor on the road to success.
What do you think? Do Share!
Positive Motivation Tip: Don’t Quit! Success is about falling down, getting up and working smarter on the treadmill called life.
PHOTO CREDITS: Ivory Billed Woodpecker by John James Audubon via Wikipedia
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
It is in the failures of life that we find our strength. It is nice to be reminded of the hard times successful people encounter. It is inspirational.
It is definitely inspiration. I am always awed by the come back kids. Those stories hold my gaze and I applaud them. 🙂
Thank you!
E
We all fail at something and I love that you made this impt aspect part of the series.
People get into the success stories but ignore the failure component.
Good job!
B
Yes, the failure component builds character… There are people who are so used to getting what they want that when they don’t, they fall apart… Failure is a great teacher and it keeps us humble. 🙂
Thanks,
E