Sunday, July 28, 2013

Failure is not an Option; It's an Opportunity


Oftentimes when we don’t receive the results we expect we as well as others think we have failed. Usually before undertaking any project we prepare in advance with an expectation of receiving the desired results whether it’s baking a cake, preparing for an exam, writing a business plan or whatever the undertaking. In other words we have done our homework. If we were preparing to bake a cake we would not preheat the oven and prepare our baking pan without first making sure we had all of the required ingredients.

But even if we have all of the right ingredients and follow the directions we may not receive the desired result. Jackie, a friend of mine bakes one of the best pound cakes I have ever tasted. Another friend Diane asked for her recipe which she provided. Diane baked a cake following the directions but the results were not the same. Some of you may think perhaps Jackie did not divulge all of the information to prepare the cake the same way that she does but she did.

Diane could not figure out where she went wrong. Jackie wasn’t there when Diane baked her cake so she could not tell her what she may have done that was different. Diane told Jackie everything she did and Jackie confirmed everything was done correctly. Diane considered herself a failure saying she couldn’t even follow simple directions.

I don’t like to use the word failure. As a matter of fact when I don’t receive the results I expect rather than say I have failed. I say just that. These are not the results I expected. I now have an opportunity to exam my process and try a different approach. There are no failures in life only new opportunities.

Just like Diane you may think you have followed the directions perfectly but rather than be disappointed think about the following:

Ø  Did I do everything exactly the way I was supposed to i.e. did I cut any corners? Perhaps in Diane’s case the directions were to mix by hand 100 strokes. Maybe she used an electric mixer and just counted 100 strokes.

Ø  Do I have a plan? Diane had a recipe to follow which she did. What is your plan? You may have a desired result or goal but what is your plan to reach your goal? Without a plan you don’t have a map to reach your destination.

Ø  Am I following my plan? If you have set a deadline which requires working an hour a day are you working an hour a day or are you skipping a couple of days and making a decision to combine all of the hours at the end of the week? What happens if something unexpected comes up and prevents you from keeping your commitment to complete all of your hours at the end of the week? Have you failed? No you have not, but you have learned putting things off did not yield the desired results so the next week you make a decision to keep your commitment to work an hour each day.

What if you have set a goal followed your plan but did not receive your desired results? What do you do? Initially you may feel disappointed. No one likes rejection and everyone wants to feel successful. What you must realize is that you are successful because you set a goal for yourself and followed your plan to completion. You may not have yielded your desired results but you now have a new opportunity. Maybe you are a singer and performed a song that was not so well received. Perhaps you performed before the wrong audience. Everyone will not receive your thoughts, your dreams, and your goals with the same enthusiasm that you have. Does that mean they are not good ideas? No it does not. It may mean it’s the wrong audience.

Never give up on what you know God has placed in your heart to do. Isaiah 40:31 but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. If you do not receive your desired results keep in mind God has given you a desire but the path He places you on will be His and may not always coincide with yours as we read in Proverbs 16:9 a man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directed his steps.

 

 

 

 

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