It can be a hard pill to swallow.
The resentment for the decisions you made that led to the demise, the public shame, how to face the world again? Can you relate?
Michael Jordan experienced a significant failure and he locked himself in his room to cry (oh thats me last week).
Oprah Winfrey was not given any job because she was deemed to be ineligible for television work.
Walt Disney experienced a significant failure as he was denied a job in the newspaper agency.
Yet Micheal never let his failure get to him and with practice and hard work, he became an NBA champion. Oprah never really gave up and through hard work, she became the most influential woman in the whole world and was recognised for her hard work. Walt Disney never gave up and is recognised as one of the most influential creators to have lived.
Success is not a smooth upward path without any type of bump in the road or dip in your spirits.
Actually, it is the opposite, it can be at times tough and you’ll experience some significant hurdles as you attempt to reach what you call your success.
Flashback to 2006, I was at university studying a Bachelor of Applied Social Science, majoring in crisis counselling.
I knew in my heart that I wanted to help people and felt I was on path and purpose. The form I was still unsure of, but certain of the counselling field.
We were required in Counselling Skills 1 subject to film ourselves doing a 1 hour session with a client. My friend, Kerrie, offered to be my client and film a session.
We set up two chairs in the living room of her home, camera poise and we started our session. I asked, “what would you like to work on?” She shared her mother committed suicide when she was 10 and she was struggling now she had a young child.
This is my first ever session I have ever done. I sat back in my chair thinking “what the hell do I do here?!” My first problem to solve and it is huge.
Safe to say it is a train wreck. I didn’t solve any of her challenges, and I am certain I left her worse off than we started.
I thought that was the purpose of university, to learn from your mistakes so I wrote about my learnings and what I discovered, what I would have done differently. But it wasn’t enough.
I opened the attachment in the email for my results. There, right next to Counselling Skills 1 it says ‘Failed.’
My heart sank.
“I’m a failure” ran through my head.
My heart shattered.
I failed at the very thing I want to create my career around. How am I going to create something for myself if I am a failure. Thoughts swirled, “maybe this is a sign to stop. And not keep on going.”
Well, you know happened. I persevered and make it my profession and my life.
Here is what I learned.
You see failure can feel like the end when it is completely not.
So when you hear no, it is no from that individual, for now, but not no forever, from all people.
In order to achieve your goals and accomplish your dreams, you require the strength to pick yourself back up again after you fall regardless of what the outer world says or does. They don’t know your inner world like you do. They don’t know what is important to you and why it is so meaningful.
Failure is not fatal, nor is it final. Failure is not something absolute, but an opportunity for growth, learning, rising to the challenge. Setbacks are meant to offer insights into how to step forward.
And it is all a matter of perspective. Change the questions you ask, change your perspective, change your life.
What failure have you had that has become your greatest success story?
Warm fuzzy squeezes,
PS – If you’d love maximum growth and guidance in dissolving your stuff, weekly help with me is right here.