Failing Forward

Last time I talked with you about embracing accountability which was the second of the three steps I gave you to get started. This month I want to focus on the final step of the three steps. It’s time to learn to Fail Forward.

#3 Fail forward and celebrate small victories. Nobody is perfect so focus on direction not perfection and celebrate the small victories along the way!

One of the mistakes I see people make when trying to make lifestyle changes is that they put too much pressure on themselves to be perfect. NOBODY is perfect! So let’s establish that right now. Rather than trying for perfection focus on heading in the right direction. Direction not perfection is the goal. What I have found in my own life and in working with my Life Coaching clients is that when there is a focus on direction verses perfection you see more consistency in the person. This keeps our passion burning hot for our goals and our hope alive.

When a person finds themselves focusing on perfection they put themselves in a no win situation. It will eventually wear you down and bring about frustration. Over time that frustration will eventually cause you to give up and feel defeated. That is never the desired result.

Now I’m not saying you won’t ever have prefect moments. Bowlers can bowl a 300 game, Gymnasts can score perfect 10’s, and Pitchers can pitch perfect games. The problem comes when we put tremendous pressure on ourselves to be perfect every time. Yes, you want to always strive to do and be your best but that’s a direction not perfection.

This is where learning to Fail Forward comes in. First of all my definition of Failing is quitting not making a mistake. Many times people make the mistake of calling a mistake “Failure” and then personalizing it. You can make mistakes and not be a failure. We all make mistakes! The shift  point here is that you have to recondition yourself to look at your mistakes as just that, mistakes. They are also nothing more than opportunities to learn. Don’t ever make a mistake and not learn from it.

When you take what you learn from your mistakes and apply it to your life than you will become more consistent. With consistency comes a greater level of sustained success! This is why you must have a shift in your mindset towards what the definition of failure truly is and how you see the mistakes you make.

Here is a quote from the greatest basketball player of all time and I think it sums it up perfectly!

“’I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot… and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that’s precisely why I succeed”.” Michael Jordan

So get out there, take risks, make mistakes, learn from them, and celebrate the small victories along the way!

I believe in you! Remember, You Matter and You are worth it!

Sean Abbananto

Speaker & Mindset Coach