I am an American attempting to build relationship with locals in my town in Uganda, Africa. Every week I battle cultural and language barriers. It's hard to have conversations and even harder to get to know this particular group of guys. I spend much of my hour with them trying to figure out what to say next. It is hard, frustrating work.
We are afraid of failure. Perhaps better put, we are afraid to even risk experiencing failure in our lives. Think about it:
- Months of classroom work are judged on a final grade.
- A guy will never ask the girl out until he knows she will say yes.
- At work, we are afraid to take a risk because it means we could fail.
How many times have you said, "I wish I could...(play an instrument, learn a new language, run a marathon etc.) More often than not, we will never accomplish those things because we are too afraid of failing.
From a very young age, we are taught that failure is something to avoid.
Forget everything you ever knew about failure. Embrace it. Learn to love it. Take risks. Accomplish something you never thought you could.
Expose yourself to the risk of failing. Put yourself in a position to fail.
Why?
Because, as Robert D. Smith (www.TherobertD.com) says, when you learn to laugh in the face of rejection, it becomes the fuel to your success.
We all fear failing. Yet, the education received through failing gives more than can ever be accomplished by not trying. Will it be hard? Sure. Is it worth it? Absolutely.
Which is worse? Staying in your comfort zone and never reaching your potential because your fear held you back or attempting to be great and learning along the way?
Where in your life do you need to risk failure? What is the "Friday morning," in your life?
On the up and up,
CT
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