Failure is the only option

Michael Jordan got cut from his grade nine basketball team.  Barack Obama tried to get a ticket to the 2000 Democratic Convention and he couldn’t get in the door.  Dr. Seuss got 43 rejections for his first children’s story.   They were all failures.  Before they were successes.

Jordan went on to become one of the best basketball players of all time.  Obama was the keynote speaker at the 2004 Democratic Convention and then was sworn in as President of the United States in 2008.  And Dr. Seuss ended up getting a few stories published.

So what does this mean for all of us?

We have to remember that failing at something could be the best thing that ever happened to us.  As long as it drives us to keep trying.  As long as we get up when we fall.  As long as we remember that failure is the one thing that always happens before success.

If we don’t get the job, the next job will be the one for us.  If we fail the test, we’ll learn things that we need to know when studying for it next time. 

The only way failure can hurt us, is if we let it stop us in our tracks.

So make that investment.  Write that book.  Run that marathon.  Change your career.  Take a chance.

Will you fail?  You might.  But if you do, at least you’ll know that you’re one step closer to success.  And if you never try, you’ll never know.