Looking at Failure From a Different Point of View
Have you ever failed at something and thought it was the end of the world? I know I have plenty of times. Failure can be defined in many ways, but I believe that the failures that matter most are the ones that shape and define you. So what failure helped shaped you?
The Story
There was this one time that I failed particular that I can remember the most vivd. It was my junior year in high school, dang that feels like a long time ago. I was competing in a powerlifting meet, and for that type of sport, you train pretty intensively to be competitive. I remember that I wanted to be the best so bad that I put in a lot of sweat equity into it. I was sure that this was my year to go to State.
It was finally my turn to try my first attempt at the deadlift, basically just lift the barbell with weight up from the floor to my hips. And I swear for the life of me I could not get that bloody bar up. This was a weight I would warm up with in training. I mean the what the f-bomb. I shaked it off, for sure I would get the second attempt. As luck would have, nope, stupid bar would not budge.
My third and final attempt, and I had prayed that just this one lift would keep me in this meet. I stepped up to the plate and breathed like I was breathing my last breathe. This was it. Ride or die. It was time to lift this damn thing. I pulled. I pulled again. Nothing. I was so devastated. I worked so hard to just fail. There goes my dream of going to state that year. My first response was to cry like a big baby. Did you know that crying has a biological effect to calm you down. Anyway, after all the tears I was calm enough to actually look at my failure from a different point of view.
So What Was the Point?
Why try so hard just to fail? The thing I learned from that experience was that even though I failed, I won something in return. Its all about looking at it from another perspective. At first, all i saw was me scratching out and being dropped from the competition, and my chances for state were gone. Then I thought, well I can try harder and become even better my senior year, and by that I can be a role model to not let failure scare you from trying again. After that my mood switch a whole 360. I was even more determined to show the ones under me that just because you failed doesn’t mean that that was your only option or chance.
So the whole point I want you to take from this is just because you failed does not mean for you to stop pushing thru. You only have to look at it from another perspective. I’m a mom and I feel like I’m failing all the time, but there are millions of ways to look at it, you just need to choose one that would better yourself and those around you. It is up to you to look at your failure from a positive stand point and move forward.
To Wrap it Up
In another way, this is another positive outlook that came from my failure. I get to help others like you thru my experiences. So you never know what positive outcomes may come from your failures. As wise man once said, “You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.”- Johnny Cash. Until next time stay strong lovelies.
