Fumble!

Assignments, payments, events, meetings, projects... all have deadlines. Ideally, in a perfect world, you knock it out of the park. Ideally you get a 100% every time. But really, what are you suppose to do when you drop the ball? What happens when you fumble on the big play?

Failure is not about If, it is about When. To think When will never happens is ignorance or arrogance.

I am writing this fresh off of two major failures I experienced yesterday. Let me be clear, I failed at something I put a great amount of time and energy into. This is not a post to justify my lack of work ethic or efforts. This is not an excuse to try and make myself feel better for not really trying.

Here is what I did. I woke up. I took a shower. I got dressed. I did work. I did not meet my objectives on time. I took the critique. I took the criticism. I went to bed.

Here is what I am going to do today. I am going to get up. Shower, then get dressed. I am going to go back to work and try again. After that, I am going to go home and go to bed. You starting to catch the drift?

Failure experienced yesterday cannot stop you from trying again today. You have to unlearn this idea of feeling disappointment because you are marked down points in your teacher's grade book, especially when you have made an honest effort. Guess what, it doesn't work like that any more. If you still have time on the clock, there's another play coming. Use the weight of the critique and newly acquired drive to channel your energy in trying again. You are better for learning through failures where others never even try. Never fear failure, plan for it!

For me personally, I learned I cannot fear failure if I fear God. Fearing God is the beginning of wisdom and this wisdom is what has allowed me to see I need to plan for when my failures will occur. God asked me to be faithful, not perfect. Faithful is success according to His eyes. He is the only one I aim to please.

So what is the take away? Keep going! This time, reflect and talk with your team about the potential contingency plans you may be able to put in place to be better prepared for when you will address failure in the future.

Talk soon & God bless,
MG