photo by steed media service

There is power in failure. As a matter of fact, there is often much more information to be gleaned from failure than success. Benjamin Franklin acknowledged as much when he said, “I didn’t fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong.” Of course, if one does not take the accumulated knowledge from repeated failures and use it to formulate a new and better plan, then learning and growth can’t take place. Learning is the by-product and the fruit of failure.

We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid. –Benjamin Franklin

Every single human being who has ever lived has failed. Everybody fails. There is no shame in failure. The shame is in equating a temporary setback with failure. The shame is in allowing a defeatist attitude to gut the opportunity to stretch and grow. Failure is a gift. No strings attached. We can use failure to plot a new path or remain in the dark and squander the chance to attain a higher level of consciousness. We make that choice every time we rise from defeat to try again. Or don’t.

Divine afflatus is not just available to the talented and beautiful, it is available to us all. If we can figure out the reason for our slip-ups, we can begin to fashion real solutions. The gifted among us are not special. Fate has not smiled upon them.

Successful people have broken the code — they know the powerful truth behind every disappointment and every stumble, and that is, that they can and must rise — and no amount of shame or pride will prevent them from doing so. You don’t have to be the smartest person in the room, but you do have to be willing to try, try, and try again.

Peace.

Munson Steed
Publisher
pubpage@rollingout.com

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