Have You Failed Most of the Time? 

People who succeed know one important fact; In order to get to success, they must experience failure on a massive scale.  For anyone who has read self-help or motivational books, I will not go through the pains of boring you about the countless Hall of Fame baseball players who have failed over 75% of the time (and these guys are the best at what they do).  You are probably not a professional baseball player, nor is it likely that you are trying to secure a spot for yourself in the Hall of Fame.  The point is, that the best of the best know this “secret.”   

Is it possible to live up to your potential and experience real success without failure?  I haven’t met anyone yet who has done this.  There are people living in their comfort zones and are not experiencing failure, but these people are selling themselves short.  It’s only when you’re out there, taking chances and testing your limits, that you will learn valuable lessons and experience the spiritual growth necessary for real success. 

The pain of failure causes you to look inward rather than outward.  This usually occurs when the pain of failure has become more unbearable than the pain of growing.  Sounds painful, huh?  It’s not that bad when you learn to recognize that the pain of growing will lead you to better things.  You begin to embrace that pain and you often begin

to seek it out because it leads to a better life.  Besides, once you do begin the journey into real success and begin to experience it, the joy, peace, serenity, fun and feelings of accomplishment far outweigh any pain you may experience.  It’s only when you decide to stand still in life and feel sorry for yourself that the pain becomes excruciating.  Take the lessons that you have learned in life and apply them to your situation.  I don’t know what they are for you, but I know that you have them.  I read a book recently and I would recommend it to everyone.  The name of the book is “Think and Grow Rich,” by Napoleon Hill.  In this book the author talks about “the seed of an equivalent benefit.”  Use your failures and pains to grow.  It is about finding the lesson to be learned in every circumstance and every situation.  Even when Thomas Edison was trying to create the light bulb, he failed many times.  When asked about these failures, he replied, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” 

The good news now, is that you can improve, grow and begin to experience real success without always experiencing pain.  If you take this advice and apply it in your life, then your eyes have been opened.  You are no longer living in ignorance about your own state of affairs.  If you have let your exercise program slip over the last several years you can begin again, today, before the doctor tells you that you need to.  If you have been neglecting family or friends because of hectic work schedules, you can leave early today to spend some extra time with those you love, before your kids are grown and the opportunity is lost.  If you have been neglecting taking time for yourself, take a quiet walk in the park before the stress of everyday life forces an ailment on you that makes you take a sick day.  The point is to do something you want to before you have to do something you don’t want to.