"I've missed over 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times I've been trusted to take the game-winning shot . . . and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." - Michael Jordan, Hall of Fame Basketball Player (b. 1963)
It's hard to go wrong when you qoute "Air Jordan" about failure and success. I have never been a good basketball player (5'7" tall - 'Spud" Webb comes to mind when you thing great and small in basketball), which is why I took up wrestling in Kindergarten. Eleven years later, I walked away from the sport for good in the middle of my Junior Year in HS, having lost the desire to lose 23 pounds in 9 days after the end of football season just to certify my weight in the State of Iowa. I was a four-sport athlete in Junior High and High School, and played football, wrestled, was a two-miler in track (also in cross country the Saturday morning after Friday football games), a member of the golf team, and played baseball during the summer (Iowa has Summer HS Baseball). I tasted my share of success and failure, and tried to learn from each experience.
The same was true in College, as I excelled in Vocal Music at Simpson, and Student Government at Northwest Missouri State University. My failure to wear a seat belt on January 1, 1979 changed my life forever (extensive damage to my lower face, jaw, peridontal bones and nerve endings that no longer exists), but out of that came the success of learning how to form words correctly, therefore eliminating my life-long speech impediment. I also knew that I had the woman of my dreams, as Jill stayed by my side throughout the entire ordeal. That was the MOST SUCCESSFUL outcome of the events of of 1/1/79, and we will celebrate the 32nd Anniversary of the night we met on October 19th.
Business has had it's success and failures as well, as I have been a Senior/Executive Manager most of my business life until 3/21/2008, when the economy forced our Company to cut back their top Executive Managers, including me - President of my Division with a 24.83% bottom line. The failure of 15,000+ resumes to grab the attention of a CEO, HR Manager or Hiring Manger, was finally overshadowed by the success of being introduced to Team National this past February, a company that will be our success story from here on in. The road is still filled with potholes (extended unemployment will do that to you - creditors still want their money), but the light is bright at the "end of the tunnel." Just as I have failed at weight loss in the past, finally learning to combine it with extensive exercise has made the difference: 68 pounds since July 14th with 321 miles walked in 59 walking days. Out of failure has come success, and with the weight loss, it has provided a better means in which I can deal with stress (because the stress will still be there for a few more months). This is the lesson that I am teaching Jordan right now, as our lives are probably going to change dramatically in the next few months before everything works out successfully. What may seem like a failure to some is only the darkness before the dawn. You must believe in yourself, and be willing to reinvent yourself at the same time. Failure to do both of those steps will result in failure. Set a goal, and make it "trackable." Never lose sight of the goal, and place your thoughts in the mindset that you have already achieved that goal. Once we see it and believe it, it will become yours.
His "Airness" was tremendous to watch all those years, from the North Carolina Tarheels to the Chicago Bulls. Just remember this: Babe Ruth led MLB in Career Home Runs until Hank Aaron broke the record in April of 1974, but few remember (or knew) that he also led the MLB in Career strikeouts. For every failure ACHIEVED and LEARNED, a success story is born. Every failure is an opportunity to succeed!
Think about it . . .
Yogi: 10/6/2010 11:42AM
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