Getting High Off of Faliure

Failure is our friend. The more we get used to and embrace this idea, the greater the heights we can reach and potentiality we can fulfill.

I love the way Ariana Huffington described her perspective on failure:

“At some point, I learned not to dread failure. I strongly believe that we are not put on this Earth just to accumulate victories and trophies and avoid failures; but rather to be whittled and sandpapered down until what’s left is who we truly are.”

In sales it’s called “go for the Nos.” Imagine what your life would be like if you went for the nos on a regular basis. How long before you received the yeses that you so ardently hope for – but don’t move towards?

These words stood out to me, greet failure as you would success and you have mastered the formula for extraordinary success.

Could it really be that our fear of failure, of looking bad, getting embarrassed and being rejected keeps us from stepping outside of where we currently are? And if this is the case, is the limit of where we go determined by where we currently stand? Yikes!! That’s bad news – nay, it’s fantastic news. You see the solution is built into the problem.

If I know that what is holding me back is my unwillingness to step outside of my comfort zone and be rejected, turned down, and embarrassed, then I know what steps to take to break free. That’s right, embrace and welcome being rejected, turned down and embarrassed. Train your brain to get high off of that stuff. Sure, getting a high off of victory is easy, anyone can do it, but getting high off of failure? Holy-Cheesy-Pizza-Batman, I think we’re onto something!!

How can you go for the no today?

Do something that scares you, whether that is something as small as speaking up in a meeting, or being more authentic thus more vulnerable. I want to figure out how to cultivate this failure muscle and uncover the real prizes in life. I am convinced they don’t sit on the trophy shelves where we would expect them, but they are rewards for the brave who fight through illusions to get to them. Let’s fight together shall we? More to come.

Until then, remember that fortune favors the brave.

Further Reading:

Famous Entrepreneurs Share How They Overcame Their Biggest Failure: http://www.fastcompany.com/3029883/bottom-line/11-famous-entrepreneurs-share-how-they-overcame-their-biggest-failure