Think about this quote: “A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything.” —Malcolm X
I’ve heard this before but put another way. The gist is if we never try anything new we will never know if we will succeed. It’s those who are willing to fail who become the successful ones.
Throughout my life, and especially in my adult life, I’ve tried many things and have failed many times. I’ve tried to do several business from home. I’ve wanted to do many different things. I’ve slowly learned what has worked for me and what hasn’t. However, if I hadn’t tried those things to begin with I’d have never learned what I’m good at and what’s really not for me.
The biggest thing that comes to mind is my writing. If I continued to believe what I had almost my entire life that I was no good at writing then I wouldn’t have ever started Mari’s website or her book, which in turn lead me to writing fiction. I would have never started to begin with. However, I decided to give something a try that I had no idea what I was doing. Did I have a long road ahead of me? Absolutely. Has everything I’ve written been perfect as I typed it out onto the page? Far from it. I’ve had to learn a lot and be willing to grown in my writing to become better. I’ve taken workshops. I’ve read several books on craft. I’m involved a critique group. I have critique partners. I have an accountability partner. I ask questions of those more experienced than I am. It try to continually learn and improve my craft to make it the best I can. Do I think I will ever have my writing down pat. Absolutely not. In fact, far from it. I know I will always need to be open to growing. It’s how we become better in the end by keeping an open mind.
So do I choose to fail? Yes, in that by choosing to fail up front that in the end I choose to succeed.
Hi Kristina,
I enjoyed your post. It really struck home. I agree that if we don’t try new things we will never know if we could have succeeded. If we go into it with a teachable spirit, we just may succeed.
I have had an entrepreneur spirit most of my adult life, particularly in the creative areas, like art and writing, but not everything I attempted succeeded. I helped my first husband run a business for 18 years in which I did the bookkeeping and correspondence. Office work is not my favorite thing, but I did learn a lot through those years, especially that I can, with the Lord’s help, do what I set my mind to and have at least a measure of success.
I have been writing for some years and dreamed of writing a book someday. As you know, writing is hard work.There were times I felt discouraged and wondered if I ever would accomplish anything significant with my writing. I am stubborn, so I would not quit. In 2011, Benny’s Angel, my first children’s book in the God’s Secret Garden Adventures series was published. A second book in the series will launch in November and a third will publish in the next few months. I am so glad I did not give up on my dream!
By the way, I would love to be included in your “Journey” series of posts. Would you let me know how to be included?
Blessings,
Laura
Laura, thank you for your comment. I can feel the love you have for writing in them and how you never gave up. I think in life we have to be like this as nothing comes easy for so many of us. We have to be willing to fight for what we want, and you did which is so awesome. Congrats on your books being released. I look forward to the day I can say the same thing about my books. It will be a celebration indeed.