For some people any kind of failure can be a blow to self-confidence and self-esteem. So it is important to recognize that the success you want can only come from the process of failure.
I often talk about Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling in my motivational keynotes and seminars. She is a great example of a success story that stemmed from what others may view as failures. While she was writing her first book she was an unemployed, poor single parent living on government assistance.
And despite having her first book rejected 10 times before getting published Rowling maintained an optimistic mindset. Rowling has gone on to say her failure ended up as the catalyst for her tremendous success.
History is also filled with stories of failures leading to success. Henry Ford went bankrupt multiple times before he got Ford Motor Company off the ground. And another failed automotive entrepreneur, Preston Tucker, was celebrated in a movie made by Francis Ford Coppola.
Tucker - The Man and His Dream
Jeff Bridges plays the lead character in Tucker - The Man and His Dream.
The Tucker was the name of a revolutionary car made in the late 40's. At the time it looked like a car from the future with innovative safety features like seat belts.And though the Tucker company failed and only created 50 cars it was his story for maintaining a positive, enthusiastic attitude that inspires. Tucker himself treated life like an adventure.
And through the love and support of his family and business partner Tucker was able to ride out the unexpected crisis that would test his ability to stay positive.
Failure Is Part of Your Journey
So be inspired by famous failures in history. See that successful people you admire or read about all had to go through the process of failure in order to evolve and improve. Recognize that you are not alone in whatever downfalls you have experienced.
Maintain a strong sense of enthusiasm no matter what happens in your career or life. Your ups and downs are all part of your journey to success. And most of all remember you are never alone along your path!
"Success is the ability to go from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm."
Winston Churchill
"The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive."
J.K. Rowling
"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently."
Henry Ford
Read more about other success stories in this great article on the positives of failure in Ode magazine: click here
Emmanuel Lopez-Motivatorman
Motivational Specialist
www.motivatorman.com
© Emmanuel Lopez 2009
Great topic!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite quotation is: "Joy of Failure - the secret to success."
Actually, successful people and successful companies have more in common with failed people and failed companies than with those that merely survived or did ok.
I'm talking here about people and companies that failed or succeeded while moving powerfully in the direction of their purpose and vision.
-Fernando
There was a guy who did some dance auditions and was told he couldn't dance and he didn't have the right look. Despite this he kept at it. You'll know him as Fred Astaire.
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing this Emmanuel. I wrote about this on my blog in the context of auto racing: only by pushing the limits and failing repeatedly do teams achieve success. Learning from the failure is the key!
ReplyDeleteJust read Failure is Okay and I strongly agree. Coming from both a science and business background, I have learned that ‘failure’ often leads to new discoveries and opportunity.
ReplyDeleteAn experiment that does not deliver the expected results is often much more valuable than one that did. I prefer to call such experiments a success, as often they teach us important new things and take us in directions that we could not have imagined.
All the best,
David F.
President
CareerAIM
Emmanuel,
ReplyDeleteAgain you bring to light an insight into modern complexity: the need to succeed. Rafael Lopez-Predraza talks about the Consciousness of Failure in our culture, where this is not so much about the fear of success, as it is success becomes the compensatory complex in dismissing the value of failure. In seeing how obsessive society can be in the need to succeed, there comes the opportunity to ask failure to inform, as well.
Thank you for another moment of reflection.
bren littleton
professor CSUSB"
I really like the movie Tucker. A man following his dreams and getting his loved ones caught up into the excitement, even though there are risks and disapointments.
ReplyDeletePaul K.