Friday, June 10, 2011

The Power of Small Failures

It might seem like the ability to fail in a small way is in no way connected to success, but it is. Here's how:

Have you ever been on a diet, slipped up and decided the day was shot, you'd restart tomorrow and then proceeded to eat everything you weren't supposed to that day?

Have you ever fiddled away most of a day doing everything but writing, then decided the day was basically over so no point in sitting down to the keyboard now?

Those are big failures. They take you in the opposition direction of your goal.

Learning to fail small means eating a candy bar for lunch, but then having a healthy dinner anyway.

Learning to fail small means fiddling the day away, but finding a half hour in the evening to sit down and write 100 words.

So next time something doesn't go exactly as planned, ask yourself if you're going to be a big failure or a small one. Personally, I think small failures are big successes.

4 comments:

  1. Great post! The small failures make us human and can show you how strong you really are when you overcome them.

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  2. Amanda Brice12:53 PM

    What a great post, Kristen!

    I've never thought of it like this, but you're so right.

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  3. Anonymous7:25 PM

    I can't tell you the number of times I've piddled the day away and gotten angry with myself. I'm going to try to take your words to heart. Starting tonight.

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  4. I never thought about it that way, but you're so right. I mean, I try not to whip myself for falling off the diet, but I constantly whip myself for failing to write. Thanks for putting it into perspective. =o)

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