Home - Recruitment Techniques - Management Techniques - Online Computer Training


 Free Photography Contest
 Enter Now! Win $10,000! Are you a Winner!

 Is your credit non-existent?
 All American Credit can help you build your
 credit! Even if you have bad credit, they can help.

Please click here to visit our sponsor

Please click here to visit our sponsor

What If I Fall Flat On My Face?


I hope you do. Sounds awful, I know. But I really think the best thing that can happen to you is for you to take a timid little leap and fall flat on your face. Then, I want to see you get back up, evaluate what you did wrong, and jump again. Keep on taking that leap of faith and learning from each and every mistake until you become used to jumping and used to falling. Then, you'll get over the fear of falling and you'll finally begin to concentrate on flying. I want to see you run with everything you have and dive into your dreams with so much passion and fire that you forget all about the possibility of failing. You will never find your wings until you do.

The fear of failure is a cruel and stupid trick we pull on ourselves. The fact that the fear of failure stops us from going after our goals and dreams means that we've already failed. I ask you this, who cares if you fail? Brilliant people fail every single day. Brave tenacious people fall flat on their faces and even get laughed at every single day. Here's an example of a perfectly nice person who has been known to fail, Christopher Reeves. How many mornings did he wake up telling himself that he was going to walk and then went to bed having failed yet again. Great guy, people love him. He's not going to let a little thing like yesterday's failure stop him from working hard again today. He's an inspiration to everyone who knows him. Who ever planted that stupid idea in our heads that we had to be successful at every single thing every single day in order to be likeable?

What is failure anyway? In my eyes, Christopher Reeves is definitely not a failure. Nobody with that much tenacity, focus, and drive is failing. He is a real hero. You haven't failed until you've given up trying. As long as you are still taking leaps of faith, you are still a winner. Failure, like everything else, has its breaking point. At some point, if you hit at it in the same spot over and over again it eventually breaks. How many light bulbs did Thomas Edison make before he got it right? Most people don't know the answer to that because they don't care how many times he failed before he finally succeeded. He kept learning from each attempt, adapting to the knew information, stayed the course, held the dream, and did not let the fear of failure nor the fear of other people's ridicule stop him.

One of the reasons that I think we hear so many stories of immigrants coming to this country and making it big is because they were raised on stories of the ability to create whatever kind of life you envision for yourself here. It's like all the stories they grew hearing about how everyone has the right to succeed in America overrides any underlying belief that they themselves could fail. They don't have a fear of failure so they just roll up their sleeves and get to work making their dreams come true. Sure they stumble and fall and learn a few lessons along the way, but they certainly don't give up and quit.

Afraid of what other people are going to think of you if you fail? Have you ever met someone who played it ultra safe that was very impressive? People who don't take risks are seldom if ever cheered, admired, or in the limelight. Besides, Americans love an underdog. We love to see some scrappy go-getter who has no business thinking they can win. We love to watch that same person stumble and fall a few times only to pick themselves up and really make something of themselves. It's the American Dream. Hollywood knows it. They've made an entire industry of showing us the stories of underdogs who dust themselves off and finally become winners. Nobody pays money to watch a movie about some perfect person who designs a perfect dream and experiences a flawless life while accomplishing everything they set out to do easily and effortlessly. Boooooring! We don't like people who come across as too perfect anyway. So go ahead and fail, it gives us a reason to pay attention to you, to relate to you, to cheer you on.

One of the best pieces of advice I was ever given on this subject was back in high school when I was first learning how to water-ski. I was told, "If you aren't falling down, then you aren't trying very hard. You're playing it safe, staying in your comfort zone. You aren't getting any better." That pushed me to get past my fear of falling. I beat the heck out of my poor body that summer, but I also made impressive gains in my ability to master the sport. Nobody talked about how many times I fell that summer nor how black and blue I was, they only talked about how fast I was learning and what a great job I was doing. My teacher would sit back with this self-satisfied smirk on his face because only he knew how hard it had been for me to push past that comfort zone to allow myself permission to fall down. Nothing beats taking that big bite out of life and having it bite back just a bit! Laugh it off and dive in again.

Are you really going to shelve something so dear to your heart because you might fail? If I could promise you that you would only fail twice and on the third attempt you would succeed, then would you go ahead and suffer through the first two failures in order to get to that third time? Of course, you would. All that's left to debate is how many times. So go ahead... take that first leap of faith.

Copyright 2004, Skye Thomas, Tomorrow's Edge

About The Author

Skye Thomas is the CEO of Tomorrow's Edge, an Internet leader in inspiring leaps of faith. She became a writer in 1999 after twenty years of studying spirituality, metaphysics, astrology, personal growth, motivation, soulmates, and parenting. Her books and articles have inspired people of all ages and faiths to recommit themselves to the pursuit of happiness. After years of high heels and business clothes, she is currently enjoying working from home in her pajamas. To read more of her articles, sign up to receive her free weekly newsletter, and get free previews of her books go to www.TomorrowsEdge.net.

Skye@TomorrowsEdge.net


Bleacher Report

Extra motivation helps ND win fourth game of year
WSBT-TV, IN - 14 hours ago
by Greg Carroll (carroll@wsbt.com) (WSBT Photo) Armando Allen gives the "thumbs-up" after ND beat Stanford 28-21 to win their fourth game of the year, ...
Cardinal sin: Irish make lineman eat his words Kalamazoo Gazette - MLive.com
Notre Dame notebook: Stanford coach upset over call Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Motivated Notre Dame roll quickly on Standord Indianapolis Star
Blue and Gold Illustrated (subscription) - WNDU-TV
all 360 news articles


Mary Carolan talks to law students about their motivation in ...
Irish Times, Ireland - 15 hours ago
Her motivation for studying law is mixed, she regards it both as a career and a vocation. "You have to have an interest in what you do, at the end of the ...


The Flint Journal - MLive.com

Motivation from poor race resulted in big PR at Brooksie Way Half ...
The Flint Journal - MLive.com, MI - 14 hours ago
by Bill Khan | The Flint Journal Jim Cheek | The Flint JournalRunners wind their way up the first hill of the Brooksie Way Half Marathon course shortly ...


Motivation Monday: Chris opens the Motivation Mailbag
KARE, MN - 2 hours ago
As she does every first Monday of the month, Chris Freytag answered viewer questions Monday morning in Motivation Monday. Freytag discussed everything from ...


Iran’s Political Motivation For Ridiculing the Holocaust Again
History News Network, WA - 19 hours ago
By Richard L. Cravatts Mr. Cravatts, Ph.D., director of Boston University’s Program in Publishing at the Center for Professional Education, ...


BG not lacking for motivation
Toledo Blade, OH - Oct 4, 2008
"All our guys have to do is turn on last year's game and that should be enough motivation to come out ready to play," BG coach Gregg Brandon said. ...


PM: No political motivation behind arrest of key protest leader
Thai News Agency MCOT, Thailand - Oct 5, 2008
BANGKOK, Oct 5 (TNA) - Thailand's Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said on Sunday his government did not issue an order for police to arrest two key leaders ...


Wall Street Journal

Hull plays down his career performance
Carlisle Sentinel, PA - 13 hours ago
“It didn’t provide any motivation. You’re going to experience some good things and some bad things. When the bad things happen you’ve got to brush them ...
Josh Hull silences critics with big game Philadelphia Inquirer
LB Hull answers critics with big game Wilkes Barre Times-Leader
College Football Nation: Paterno, Penn St. roaring back Norwich Bulletin
all 884 news articles


Telegraph.co.uk

Motivation is Key to Beat the Inactivity Crisis Says Science Report
PR.com (press release), NY - Oct 5, 2008
“Take To The Streets provides the motivation many people need to do something about their fitness and health through a series of exciting, varied nationwide ...
Woods one second from her hat-trick Blackpool Gazette
all 188 news articles


AFP

Lance's motivation undented, says Astana manager
AFP - Oct 3, 2008
"I certainly don't have any doubts about Lance's motivation and dedication. These are intangibles I would never bet against," Bruyneel said in a team ...

Motivation - Google News

home | site map Distance Education at ICS
© 2006 www.elearn-university.com