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Another Word for Failure

Written by: Deborah Baker-Receniello

Article Overview: Failure is not an event, objective, enemy, irreversible, stigma, avoidable, or final. It is only a lesson.

Another Word for Failure

Another Word for Failure

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail…
Thomas Edison

Failure is not an event, objective, enemy, irreversible, stigma, avoidable, or final. It is only a lesson.
The main difference between people who achieve and people who are average is how they perceive failure and how they respond to it. Paralysis, procrastination, purposeless, self-pity, excuses, misused energy, and hopelessness are the results when people are stuck in the fear cycle. Some characteristics that indicate people have not gotten over their past difficulties are: comparison, rationalization, isolation, regret, and bitterness. When people think that their errors, mistakes, or obstacles are the fault of someone else, they are traveling on the failure highway. Five signs of this activity are:
Ø Blow Up: Angrily overreact to a situation; take out frustrations on themselves or others around them
Ø Cover Up: Cover up mistakes or deny
Ø Speed Up: Try to leave their trouble behind by working harder and faster and not changing their direction
Ø Back Up: Try to justify
Ø Give Up: Simply quit

Remember taking that vacation and remembering all the things that went wrong at the office? Don’t check into the “Hotel of Regret” This is a trip that you book for yourself. It is staying in the past and repeating the same old, same old without change. That is unfortunate. However, the good news is that you can cancel any time and you are the only one who can do so.
In John C. Maxwell’s book, Failing Forward, he shows an acronym that keeps mistakes in perspective:
Ø Messages that give us feedback about life
Ø Interruptions that should cause us to reflect and think
Ø Signposts that direct us to the right path
Ø Tests that push us toward greater maturity
Ø Awakenings that keep us in the game, mentally
Ø Keys that we can use to unlock the next door of opportunity
Ø Explorations that let us journey where we have never been before
Ø Statements about our development and progress

In Zen Buddhism, failure is defined as missing the mark. It is a time to evaluate the situation. Reword what you know with what you learned to create a better model. Overcome challenges and move on, as there is no such thing as permanence. Failure is not what happens to you, it is what happens in you. The sense of failure is created within yourself. You may not be able to control the hand dealt to you, only how you play it. Your circumstances and your contentment are unrelated. You are in control of assessing the impact.
How do you define risk? The traps that make people back away from risk are: embarrassment, rationalization, unrealistic expectation, fairness, timing, or inspiration. Usually, risk is subjective. It usually involves change. Evaluate any risk, not by the fear (False Evidence Appearing Real) that it generates in you or the probability of your success, but by the value of the goal desired. When you set your goals, are you taking enough risks? Are you stretching or growing to your goal, or not pushing yourself? The greatest risk is in not taking any.
Thomas Alva Edison held 1,093 patents for different inventions. Many of them, like the light bulb, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera, were brilliant creations that have a huge influence on our everyday life. However, not everything he created was a success; he also had a few failures. “I have not failed. I have merely found 10,000 ways that won’t work,” Edison said.
When you find yourself pondering your perceived failure, mistakes, or missing the mark, ask these questions:
Ø What caused the failure: the situation, someone else, or you?
Ø Was what happened truly a failure or did you fall short?
Ø What successes are contained in the failure?
Ø What can you learn from what happened?
Ø Are you grateful for the experience?
Ø How can you turn this into a success?
Ø Who can help you with this issue?
Ø Where do you go from here?

If you ever find yourself looking at certain failure squarely in the face, you are in pretty good company. Do not quit. There are many starters in life, but very few finishers. When the going gets tough, you get tough. A person with a major purpose never gives up-no matter how long and tough the road is; instead, they become more determined. There will be times when everything in you will tell you to quit, but if you hang in there and keep your vision statement in front of you, you must succeed. Each day you build the intensity of your vision. Keep focused and the law of harmonious attraction will become a magnet. You will attract everything you need; the ideas, plans, money and people you need to help you.


--
Deborah Baker-Receniello is CEO of DBR Life Strategies & Business Coach, Inc . A noted speaker, author, trainer and coach.
www.dbrlifecoach.com If you are serious about playing a bigger game contact Deborah to assist you start, build, manage or turn around your business.

Deborah co-authored a best seller, "101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Vol 2"" with John Gray, Jack Canfield, et al, Sepember 12, 2006
Author of “Why It Works! The Science Behind Manifesting Everything You Desire”and her forthcoming book,
”Play a Bigger Game! Proven Strategies to Design and grow Your Successful Small Business” premieres in January,2007

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