How To Not Be A Failure

[Joseph Bronson]

No one discusses the topic of failure very often.  But it is always looking over your shoulder.  Failure is walking beside you on every step of your warrior journey 

We must confront the fact that we could fail at any moment.  This failure would come from our choice to stop pushing forward towards our stated goals. 

Simply put, you are already successful if you have not given up.   If you are on the path.  If you are steadfast in your determination.  If you are committed and see no choice but to push forward.  Then you are already a success and your goals will be attained. 

But without determination you are going to fail.  

You are going to be excited about your journey at the beginning.  Like a voyage out to sea.  Where the bands are playing and the well wishers on the dock are waiving flags and cheering for you, saying "bon voyage".  Everyone excited, the person taking the journey as well as everyone wishing them well.  This is how it is at any beginning.  But, when your ship has left port, how many storms can you weather before you wish you were back home, or anywhere but where you are.  Your mind starts to imagine how green the grass is on the other side of the fence.  You start to find excuses to not follow through on the work that needs to be done to succeed.  Then one day, you quit.  You throw in the towel and decide that you really did not like taking that voyage at all.  You choose another direction or give up completely on doing anything at all.  You make all kinds of excuses (reasons) why you are justified in your quitting.  But the truth of the matter is that you have just become a failure.  You have failed to reach your chosen destination. The destination that you started out for you have let the enemy of failure win.  And, most of the time, you have justified your action to make yourself feel as though you are not a failure.  But, no matter how much you sugar coat the truth, you have still failed.  

This is what happens in most people lives.  Lives of mediocrity.  Mediocrity is where most people live.  Not because they necessarily want to live there but because no one ever taught them how to succeed.  

Success is simple.  Don't give up!! That's it in a nutshell.  Do not let that monster of failure defeat you. Understand that when you waiver in your resolution.  That is failure hitting you with a stick.  Recognize this and defend yourself.  I hope that you would not let an attacker beat you with a stick without fighting back.  But that is just what is happening when the demon of failure is working to crumble your resolve and you do not put up a fight.  To survive, to succeed, you must fight back.  You must reaffirm  your determination to make it to black belt (or higher if you are already a Black Belt).  This continued push to be successful on your journey is a must if success is actually going to be reached.  

Failure is a monster, ever looking over our shoulder to see where it can stick its blade.  Resolve, determination, constant vigilance are required to keep failure at bay.  

You can succeed.  But, are you up for the battle?  

[Rachel Hayward]

I love the whole "fight back when Failure starts beating you with a stick" by not giving up. I can apply this to my business, my Kung Fu practice, being a mom, my life...

[David Gardner]

Thanks, I needed that reality check.

[Joseph Bronson]

You are welcome Elijah. I look forward to your continued training towards Black Belt.