Failure is an Option, Quitting is Not

Dreams are often the seeds in which goals are grown from, but it takes acting on a dream to achieve a goal. Sometimes big goals can be as overwhelming as a football field to a five year old. Like that scared five year old, we can let a daunting task get in the way of our success because of a fear of failure. When engaging in management and sales performance training, encourage your team to embrace failure.

Everyone faces challenges in life and risks failure. Failure is just an opportunity to tweak your game. Failure is an option, quitting is not. If you never try, you will never fail. If you never fail, you will never succeed. I am not saying that failure is synonymous with success, but from experience it seems to be the access point. When I fail, I do it with flair. I own my failures and design my determination to learn something from each failure. It has been regrouping and dusting off from some of my most brilliant failures, that I have discovered my most amazing successes. I have a plan for life: What does not kill me will make me stronger.

When faced with a challenging goal, break it down just like a football team. Not every touch down is a result of a 50 yard pass or running play. Sometimes a touch down is the culmination of inches and yards over several plays. Break down a big goal into smaller goals and strategically make plays towards you success. Sometimes, you might find yourself a few yards shy and need to throw a Hail Mary with fingers crossed and eyes closed. Don’t quit or stop giving your all on a play, because you never know which play will be the game changer!

It is the journey down the field that is the sport of personal growth and meeting the goal is only an outcome. Not meeting the goal is just an opportunity to attempt to meet that goal again with a new strategy and game plan. If you don’t have a plan or play, then it’s probably best to stay in bed that day.

Once you find yourself at the top of your game, understand you will fall and fail again. It is easier to become number one, but a struggle to stay number one. Once others see your success, they are going to want that for themselves. They have watched you play full out and have nothing to lose, but gains on a field by replicating your plan for success. Therefore, there is no relaxing in first place, just more failures to be converted into successes.

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Comment by Stephanie Young on August 25, 2011 at 2:48pm: Thanks, BC!

Joe, just goes to show you never know what impression you may leave with someone and how that will forever alter the path of their life.

Comment by Joe Clementi on August 25, 2011 at 1:44pm: Luuuuuv it Stephanie. I remember my old football coach used to say "don't ever quit on a play b/c you never know which one will change the game" It has stayed with me all these years.

Comment by Stephanie Young on August 24, 2011 at 2:55pm: Randolph, great story. I love hearing the personal side to applications. It truly is easier to climb up to #`1 than it is to hold on to being #1.

Comment by Randolph S. Lofgren on August 24, 2011 at 2:46pm: Excellent post as always Stephanie -
I remember being a youngster and my dad bringing my to my first football game. I was lucky enough to be able to be on the field - it's bigger than life! Honestly, it's when my dreams started. Wanting to be a great football star! Well, as you can see, that didn't happen.
My dreams changed as my years in life did.
At 12 years old I was really into motorcross and BMX racing. I had to pick one to master and give it all I could. It was BMX racing. After two years of painful training and racing every weekend locally. My family and I went to Oklahoma for the Grand Nations, where I placed 1st throughout the weekend races. Then, I received a sponsor and every weekend for the next two years I traveled to every different state and was rated number 1.
Qui**ing was NOT an option. See I just can't allow myself to spell it! LOL
There was many times it would've been easier to just qu*t. I had to at a very young age learn how to plan success and let me tell you, it's a lot easier becoming number 1, than saying number 1. Everyone behind you have nothing to lose, so, they are always giving it 100%. There is no relaxing in 1st place!

My advise - If you don't have a plan, stay in bed!

Comment by Marsh Buice on August 24, 2011 at 12:07pm: You stay classy Lake Charles!! :)

Comment by Stephanie Young on August 24, 2011 at 12:03pm: Thanks, Marsh. As always, you are class, class, class....first class all the way.

Comment by Marsh Buice on August 24, 2011 at 11:40am: Great blog Stephanie...if you never try you will never fail, if you never fail, you will never succeed. love the post!!

Comment by Stephanie Young on August 24, 2011 at 11:04am: Thanks, Tony!!!! I can not say that failure is the synonym for success, but from my experience it has been an access point. When I fail, I do it with flair. I own and learned something from it. I dust off and regroup. It has been from some of those brilliant failures I have been able to enjoy amazing successes. I have a shirt that has written across the back, "What does not kill me, makes me stronger." I feel the same way about failures. As long as it does not kill me, it will make me stronger.

Comment by Tony Provost on August 24, 2011 at 10:56am: Stephanie- Goal orientated people generate productive results!!! Your lifetime of goals, has put you in the position, to TEACH others, how to produce productive results!! Is FAILURE the synonym for SUCCESS? Have a great day!

Comment by Stephanie Young on August 24, 2011 at 9:42am: Jim, I like that analogy!!!