The mere mention of the word FAILURE for some people creates an emotional knot that is tied to a conclusion of pain and anxiety. When we think of our past failures, there can be a powerful association, an association that creates a visual program of irretrievable loss, a finale, an ending. But, for me failure is actually an amazingly useful tool. It is, in my observation exactly what you perceive it as, and I’m proud to say, “I’ve failed miserably many times, before rising to success.”According to “Success Principles” expert, Jack Canfield, E+R=O or The event plus your response to that event equals your outcome/results. What that means is for every event, your outcome will be determined by your response. As one of my best coaches used to tell me, “Kevin, if you don’t like the answer, maybe you need to ask a better question!” I know this may seem incredibly simplistic, but if you didn’t get the outcome you expected, then it is very likely due to your response to the event (question) that took place.
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
~ Thomas Alva Edison
If you make your way through life without experiencing any real failure on a regular basis, you are in essence, a true failure! If you haven’t strived for excellence, you’ve stayed safely in the harbor of mediocrity, never pushed beyond your comfort zone, or risked the extraordinary. This very concept is what has driven me to train relentlessly in multiple combative arts for the past 43 years, drove me to train Professional Fighters, ski big mountains, take up kitesurfing at age 50, and start competing in BJJ at 60 years old, when most of my peers are content to confine their adventures to the golf course or watching sports on TV. The fear and danger of stepping outside their comfort zone prevents them from feeling the exhilaration and rush of mixing it up on the mat with a stronger, younger opponent, cutting an edge on beautiful Rocky Mountain slope or popping a lift while kiting strapped into a surfboard on the warm Caribbean Sea.
Metaphorically, in strength training, it is the ability to push to FAILURE, that is the instrumental pivotal point of our success toward greater strength. If we only train with the weight that is manageable for us to succeed with, we will always remain at the same level of strength and proficiency. It’s your Choice! I choose freedom, not fear!
“Our FEARS do not stop death, they stop LIFE”
-Rickson Gracie
Listen To This Episode Of The MindCast Podcast: Failure Is NOT The Opposite Of Success
Kevin Seaman© 2023
