Blog Family,
As you might expect, I have been thinking about goal setting and goal attainment, moving forward with my plans. But as I do my daily and weekly, mental round up, I am forced to notice all of the areas that I have fallen a little short. The goal was a little higher than what I accomplished for the month. That space between what was planned and attained. Does this amount to failure in your mind?
What is failure?
Failure means many things, depending on who you are talking to. Some think failure is not attaining every little goal you set out to achieve. To others failure lies in disappointing other people. Still to more, failure is making yourself look foolish.
I think failure pigeon holds many people from reaching for and attaining all that they could in their life time. Somehow these setbacks, changes in the plans, and differences paralyze many people into not acting at all. As though their lack of attempt isn’t a failure or a set back it’s self. You cannot simply shelve a dream and think that you are playing it safe. You are failing in the worst way because you are not trying at all.
Redefining Failure
As of today, failure has a new definition.
You cannot be a failure until you have given up on a thing and have gain no value from the pursuit.
Since you cannot pursue a thing without gaining some type of value and insight from that pursuit, you cannot ever be a failure so let’s stop thinking of it all together. And if you are still in pursuit of a thing, then it is not over, you have not quit, then you still have a chance of attaining it. Stay in the game.
Failing Yourself to Success
My entire life has been lived with a spirit of adventure, exploration, and commitment to live the dream of an entrepreneur and do it on my terms. At times, this hard headedness has gotten me into some real pickles, but I forge ahead. This is the mentality that is absolutely needed to be an entrepreneur and actualize your dreams, or in this case my dreams. I have to move forward.
I didn’t pass every test with flying colors while pursuing my MBA. I wasn’t the valedictorian, so in the eyes of some I may have failed, but I failed forward. It seems that with every adventure that I have I am able to build upon it and continue my journey. As an entrepreneur, I have opened and closed more businesses than I care to remember. Each one taught me a valuable lesson that carry forward with me to this day knowing that these experiences are the reasons that I am in the position that I am in today.
Today, I own my own business work from home everyday, am there for my family when I need and want to be, and have the chance to go full time on the Internet. Maybe this isn’t the most ideal place to be. Afterall, I don’t have an abundance of money to through around and I could live in a better neighborhood, or whatever. But this is what I have.
Classic Example from my Sunday Accountability #23
This past week, my goal was to write 50 articles for various niche sites on mine. Yes, this was an ambitious goal for the week considering everything else that I had to complete, but I set it anyway. I set it to stretch myself to see if I could accomplish it and get the duel benefit of building those articles for my niche sites that are going to raise my traffic and rankings.
Well, I didn’t reach 50 articles last week. I only completed 40 articles. Am I a failure?
If you would call me a failure, that is fine because the reality is that I know have 40 fresh articles moving towards gaining me more SERPs, search engine rank positions, to gain more traffic and potential revenue for me long term. That is awesome.
Ok, there could have been 10 more articles if I would have hit my goal. That would have been great. But the truth is if I would not have reached for that goal of 50 articles that I knew was going to stretch me, I would have written 15 to 20 articles thinking I did something special. This goal of 50 articles that I fell short of taught me a lesson. The lesson was that when I put my mind to it, I can produce a lot of material for my websites. Afterall, this material is going to lead to traffic and traffic is what I want.
Last Week I Failed Forward
So, last week I failed forward by completing 40 out of 50 articles for my niche sites. This week, I plan to do much of the same, write another 50 articles. This time I am going to hit this goal, but I relax knowing that I am going to advance my niche business strategy and get closer to my overall income goals via the Internet.
I hope you are failing forward as well.
One rule for us netrepreneurs is to: Write or die, man
Much success to you on reaching for& hitting your article goals…
Excellent article Freddie. Did you coin the phrase “failing forward”? I like it!
Awesome example on hitting 40 of your 50 articles. Keep it up man!
Cheers!
Jay
Suite Js last blog post..Got The Free Theme Blues? What To Do Without Revolution Two
I think we all have to be willing to set goals for ourselves — not meeting them doesn’t necessarily mean we fail. It might just mean we set our “lid,” and have a better idea of what to push against when trying to constantly improve ourselves. It’s a tool of self-definition, not one that defines failure.
Matty Bylooss last blog post..Van Hammersly: Famous Billiards Player
@ Caleb – Write or die! That is the truth. And thank you for the link love. I appreciate it!
@ Suite J – Glad you enjoyed the article, J. I guess I did come up with “failing forward”. It just hit me the other day because I came up a little short on my 50 article goal and was thinking, “That’s not really failure. That is awesome cause it did stretch me.”
@ Matty – Great comment! It is a tool for self-definition, not one that defines failure. That was awesome and so true. We cannot be afraid to set a goal and come up a little short, drive for it, but there is no shame in coming a little short. Keep pushing!
I think pushing to failure is fine, too, now that I think about it — I mean, when you’re working out with weights, remember, your muscles don’t actually grow unless and until you start pushing them to failure: going so far that you actually can’t go any more. Then growth happens.
Matty Bylooss last blog post..Van Hammersly: Famous Billiards Player
@ Matty – That is a great point. You are soooo right about that. Wish I would have used that as my example. Your muscles do not grow until they hit failure, then growth happens. As much weight lifting and fitness I do, you would think that would have been at the front of my mind.
Thanks for the point!….no keep pushing!
No sweat, man. We’re all just here to remind each other of the things we so often forget.
Matty Bylooss last blog post..Van Hammersly: Famous Billiards Player
No problem…besides, if we don’t spread link love with others then who will spread link love with us?
BTW: I got my first post as a guest blogger published at iBlogZone – leave some feedback and let others know only if you think it’s worthy.
Calebs last blog post..How To Make Your Content Sticky
40 new articles? It's great number and you should be proud of it. Tell me Freddie, do you post these articles yourself or do you have some kind of submitter?
The most important thing is to not be affraid of going further than anyone else. Of course this may mean spectacular failure but with a little luck you can achieve success a lot greater than anyone who just mindlessly follows other people's example.
The think about “success” in business is you only have to be right one time. History is filled with entrepreneurs that failed miserably their entire lives, then had that one great idea that launched them into superstardom.
One of my favorite lines in a poem goes, “Don't give though the pace seems slow, you may succeed with another blow.”
If that doesn't sum it up, I don't know what does. Keep fighting, keep the dream alive, go against the grain, and make it happen!
Falling forward is definitely the way to go. I never thought to describe it that way though. I think as long as you're building forward momentum (my word to describe it), you will get ahead even if you stumble.