10-DAY 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY COUNTDOWN- DAY 6: Embrace Failure as a Stepping Stone
It’s Day 6 in my 10-day countdown to my 10th anniversary of my last day before becoming a full-time speaker and entrepreneur.
Today, I’m talking about something I’ve experienced way more times than I can count- failure and how to embrace failure. Failure is a topic that often holds us back and keeps us from getting up and going for everything we want in life. I want to help you embrace failure as a catalyst for growth and success.
Over the past decade there have been many times that I experienced major setbacks. I have poured my heart and soul into projects, only to see them not get me the results I expected. It was disheartening, to say the least. But you know what? That failure became my greatest teacher. This taught me the incredible value of failing forward.
Maybe one of my best examples was when I created the S.O. What! Literacy, Life Skills, and Character Education curriculum and workbooks. Educators from school counselors to English teachers and from 5th grade to college, shared with me the power of my memoir and encouraged me to create a curriculum that could be used in the classroom. After years of research and testing, I created a powerful curriculum that I turned into workbooks for each grade level. Then crickets.
It took nearly two years before educators, some of the same ones who asked me to create the curriculum, realized how impactful it actually was and I got a major school district contract. Until that point, I had spent lots of money and time and even trips to school districts all over the country and got the same crickets. I even had superintendents tell me to my face they loved and it wanted to use only to be ignored when I followed up with them.
That’s just ONE example of how I’ve experienced failure and rejection. However, if you’ve been following my countdown, you may already be thinking about how I have been able to embrace failure that I experience almost daily.
- Cultivate a Resilient Mindset
- Harness the Power of Self-Belief
- Look for and Learn from the Lessons
Failure is not a roadblock; it’s a detour that leads us to the path of success. It’s an opportunity to learn, adapt, and grow. When we embrace failure with an open mind and a resilient spirit, we discover invaluable lessons that propel us forward.
So, your challenge for today is to take on a new challenge or venture outside of your comfort zone. Embrace the possibility of failure, knowing that even if you stumble, you’ll gain wisdom and resilience along the way.
Remember, failure is not the end—it’s a stepping stone towards your dreams. Embrace it, learn from it, and use it as fuel to propel yourself even further.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post, where we’ll explore the power of surrounding yourself with supportive relationships. Get ready to build your dream team and soar to new heights!
Day 9: Cultivate a Resilient Mindset
