What can we learn from success? Nothing really, except maybe that nothing is ever good enough. The true learning begins with failure. It has been said that the man that succeeds at everything has gained no knowledge. Ok, so I actually just made that up, but I'm sure someone much smarter than me said it first.
When I look back at my life all my most valuable lessens were learned in my most idiotic moments. For instance, the day I learned it was better to agree with women no matter how wrong they are? It seemed like an innocent enough day. I was nine years old at the time, playing in the back yard with my older sister. There was an argument over a game of backyard tennis, resulting in me getting pummled with a tennis racket. My body and ego bruised I quickly realized the only way to win is to concede defeat. And the earlier the better. Then there was the time when I was thirteen when I learned it it a very bad idea to steal your neighbors mail. A court date and a years probation later and I'm a much better person for it.
Mistakes should not always be considered failures. Everyone one has heard the Thomas Edison qoute "I have not failed, I've just found 10,000 ways that wont work." With every supposed failure he succeeded in moving one step closer to to his ultimate goal. And with every failure we have in life we move one step closer to making our lives better. Now I just have to learn why I can't stop forgetting where I put stuff.
Monday, January 25, 2010
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You forgetting things is not failing. It just helps me look better. :)
ReplyDeleteAnother great one. I laughed I cried and I read some more:) Signed Michelle
ReplyDeleteI do have some epic forgetting failures. Like the time I forgot to renew my divers license and then tried to rent a car. That didn't work out so well huh?
ReplyDeleteSee forgetting stuff can be really big failures, or at lead to them
ReplyDeleteI had that same failure, Ryan. I was in San Diego for a radio production. I got to the airport in San DIego at about 11 pm PCT, and went to the car rental counter. It was only then I discovered that my driver's license was a year past my renewal. I was on my own on this trip, with only about $200 in petty cash for the trip, so I was suddenly dependent on taxis for about 4 days of travel. Those costs, along with food, left me with about 50 cents in my pocket by the time I got home. I had no company credit card at the time. And no credit or debit cards, period. I was only about 25 at the time, and we'd made a conscious choice to only pay cash for everything. Anyway, it was a hard lesson learned at the time.
ReplyDeleteI am glad I am not the only one. I can't imagine being so far from home with so little cash. I guess I was pretty lucky because at least I had Audrey to pick me up and take me to the DMV. I did have to call off work. Thus loosing my $100 perfect attendance bonus.
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