ADDICTED TO FAILURE

ADDICTED TO FAILURE

Failure is an extremely powerful catalyst.  It can be used to make you fold and crumble, or to stand tall and move forward.  When people hear me say that I love to fail, they look at me like I have 10 heads.  Hardened concepts such as failure, adversity, and struggle intuitively have a negative connotation attached to them.  In an era where kids get participation trophies, and people in general have lives free of hardship, it’s easy to figure out why many avoid difficulties at all costs. 

Why live a hard life when comfort is around every corner?  When positioned with this question I always ask, “Why not?”  Other than purposely positioning yourself in a situation that can get you killed, there are honestly very few reasons as to why you should avoid doing something hard other than just that……it’s fucking hard.  Because of this, many avoid strenuous things like the plague.  However, as with anything else, you can only brush it under the rug for so long until it comes to a head.

There are two basic forms of failure.  One is externally based, while the other is internally based.  The latter is based purely on your mindset, and the lack of drive to prevail.  If you lack self-confidence in yourself or your abilities, then you will ultimately fail.  The mind is one of your most powerful, and free assets.  Because you have used it since you were born, you take it for granted, and lack the understanding of how to cultivate that relentless will to persevere.

The former deals specifically with accepting failure, and how to make it a learning point.  Because many people lack self confidence, they point fingers and blame other people for their own mistakes.  Instead, think about flipping the script.  The moment you realize your failures and successes are all on you, the happier your life will be.  It sounds fucked up, but yes, accepting failure on your behalf is refreshing to say the least.  Not only does it prevent you from pointing fingers, but also keeps you humble to the fact that we are all imperfect, and we all have things to work on.

There is always someone out there who is bigger, smarter, stronger, and faster than you.  The journey of self-improvement is infinite. Rather than seeing failure as a roadblock, look at it as a rest area. The purpose is to refuel, reenergize, and reset your thinking. Just because things aren’t going your way, doesn’t mean that it’s the end.  Embrace and grow from the fact you failed. Not only will it make the re-execution of your goal that much more fluid and precise, but it will help in strengthening your mental tenacity to keep pushing forward.  Failure shows that you’re willing to push the envelope and try out new things in lieu of residing in your bubble of comfort. 

If you take only one thing from this piece, laugh in the fucking face of failure. Laugh and be happy because you now understand how not to allow fear to determine your success. Failure inevitably is part of growth. If you’re not failing, it means you’re stagnant, and resting on your laurels. That may work for you in the here and now, but at some point, soon, it will run out. Constantly be on the search for new ways and methods to accomplish your goals. Never put all your eggs in one basket. Let them talk, let them laugh, let them spread lies. You know you’re not going down without a fight.  In the end, quitting isn’t an option, because you are addicted to the exhilaration of failure.

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