by: Dr. Jamie Fettig
Failure is only a matter of perspective. Change your perspective and change your outlook of failure.
Have you had a challenging day or week?
Maybe you're feeling a little tired or feel discouraged with a current situation.
Maybe you are ready to throw in the towel and quit something.
We all go through times of feeling that something in our life sucks, and all we can see and feel is the mess we are in.
When you feel that deep discouraged feeling, take a look at this report and reflect on this man's record of failure. It is a testament to how we as humans can learn and grow and win despite the losses and defeats we encounter.
Failed in business1831
Defeated for legislature1832
Failed in business again1833
Elected to legislature1834
Sweetheart died1835
Nervous breakdown1836
Defeated for speaker1838
Defeated for land officer1843
Defeated for congress1843
Elected to congress1846
Defeated for re-election1848
Defeated for senate1855
Defeated for vice president1856
Defeated for senate1858
Elected President1860
Who was he?
A simple uneducated country boy who refused to allow his uncongenial circumstances stop him. He refused to be a victim. He refused to accept failure. He refused to listen to people who told him he was crazy. He refused to stay down when he felt like nothing was going his way.
Simply put, he picked himself up no matter what and kept on going after his dream.
He educated himself and did whatever it took to keep moving in the direction of his passions.
Who was he? Abraham Lincoln.
If you reflect back on your life, I am sure that you can see a pattern of the times you grew the most. Many of those times are probably a result of some kind of previous 'failure.' Maybe even a series of them.
I would like to suggest that a child doesn't fail when they are learning to walk. They fall down over and over again. It is the falling that teaches them and strengthens them.
Each time we fail is a learning experience, and the faster we pick ourselves up, reflect on the past occurrence and go again, the faster we can achieve our goals and dreams.
So with this in mind, choose the one thing that may not be going exactly as you wish right now and do one thing to move you closer to achieving the result you want!
And remember, life is about learning and growing.
Have fun and create a masterpiece!