Plan To Fail

It's inevitable.  We will fail at some point, at something.  It's funny the things we remember in life. Those little moments that stick with us and define how we think.  We were on a family skiing trip.  I must have been 12 or 13-years-old.  I was bragging about how many times I hadn't fallen...probably not at all by that point.  After all, I like to do things perfectly.  My little inner perfectionist nerd didn't like to fall.  Then my dad said to me,

"You have to fall or you're only skiing within your ability.  You aren't stretching yourself if you don't fall sometimes."

He wasn't being mean.  He was simply making an observation.  When I failed my Brown 2 test at karate twice before I passed it, it's not that I wasn't capable. (Yes.  I had to take that test 3 times.) I did have to learn some other lessons about tenacity and self-confidence, though.  I only would have failed if I hadn't gone back and studied differently and learned more and tried again.

Everything in life is the same.  If we only do things that are safe, we will never fail.  We will never be tested.  We will never truly succeed.  We will never grow.  If I try a business and fail, I was pushing myself beyond my ability.  Ask for help and do it again.  If I go to church, but never really pursue a personal relationship with Christ, I never risk having a deep, life changing faith.  If I never leave my house and meet people, I may never get hurt by people, but I won't find loving, fun relationships, either.  We just have to fail sometimes.

Get your "What if" expression here.

It's truly ok to fail.  Plan on it.  Then learn, grow, ask for help and go again.  Life is not safe.  Even if we live in a bubble, things will happen to us.  Plan to fail sometimes.  Then plan to stretch and grow.  Live into your potential.  How many dozens  or hundreds of times did you fall before you learned to walk?  See.  You don't even remember.  You've failed and succeeded before.  Now take that precedent and move forward.  Fail.  Learn.  Grow. Accomplish.  Fail.  Grow.  Fail.  Accomplish.  Repeat.  You get the idea.

Make it a beautiful day, friends.

If this post has hit a nerve or been helpful, please feel free to share with others.  You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@JensWallsTalk).  While you're at it, feel free to stop by my freshly redesigned website...www.JensWallsTalk.com.