I’m doing a workshop on goal setting for 2022, and a significant part of reaching your goals is being willing to fail.
As children, we’re taught not to fail in school- if we fail our exams, we will get low grades and not graduate or move onto the next level (not to mention getting into trouble with parents & teachers).
As adults, failure is a necessary part of life! Think about learning how to do anything- drive a car, ski or snowboard, or ride a bike.
When I learned how to cross-country ski, I already knew downhill, but I still struggled to learn this new way. I couldn’t quite figure out how to GO without gravity on my side. And my cross-country skis were longer & more awkward than my downhills. So I fell, again and again, getting increasingly frustrated. At one point, I started crying out of frustration, and then I was laughing at my ridiculousness- now crying and laughing at the same time.
Could you imagine if the first time I fell, I just packed up & left? I would have never learned, and I love XC skiing. I would have missed out on years of enjoyment.
The same is true for any new endeavor. Are you starting a new job, new position, or taking on a new role? Are you learning a new skill or a new sport? Are you learning how to run your side business, make more money, lose weight or be more physically active in a sustainable way? If not, no problem- it’s new to you.
You are LEARNING how to do the thing, and “failure” is part of it. Instead of focusing on failure, focus on LEARNING and the courage it takes to learn something new.
