how do you reduce or eliminate this fear of failure that’s so prevalent in our lives? the best way to get rid of the fear of failure is to redefine failure.
listen, failure is not failing to reach your dreams. failure is not having a dream.
failure is not setting a goal and missing it. people do this all the time. it doesn’t mater. it just gives you something to shoot for. failure is not having a goal.
failure is not falling down. everybody falls down. failure is refusing to get back up.
let me redefine failure for you: failure is refusing to try again. it’s saying, “i blew it. i tried out for baseball but i didn’t hit the ball on the first swing so i give up. i tried out for the sport, but i didn’t get it right, right off the bat so i’m going to give up.”
how did you learn to ride a bike? you got on it, fell off. you got on it, you fell off…. finally you got on it and stayed on it for five seconds, then ten seconds. but if you keep giving up when every time you try something and initially you don’t have success, you’re never going to succeed in anything. failure is refusing to try again.
the first time i preached, i did a horrible job. now to be honest at 18 i decided because i didn't do very well then i wasn't suppose to be a preacher so for the next 19 years i did everything but preach but finally at age 37 i realized that was what i suppose to do and so you are reading the results of 25 years of preaching. i wish that i had realized that just because you fail doesn’t mean you give up, it doesn't mean that's not what you're suppose to do. no you get up and go back the next day and try it again. that’s called practice.
just a thought from the front porch…
2 comments:
Bill, All my life my father insisted that Christians do not fail. I never understood that, because was a failure. Right before his eyes, I was failing at everything I tried. But he insisted that Christians do not fail. When I asked him to explain, he went mum. He just insisted that we do not fail.
On his death bed (literally), I asked him one last time to explain. He said it was a philosophical view that his mother taught him. So I pressed him on the point. He said, yes, there were times when things don't go the way you wanted them to go. Then you just learn a lesson from that and go on.
I think he was saying what you're saying here: The failure is when we stop trying. But when we learn from the mistake and try again, that is not failure.
I think you finally helped me accept my dad's viewpoint.
Thank you!
Glenn Culbertson
thanks for sharing, glenn.
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