I have self-doubt. I have insecurity. I have fear of failure. I have nights when I show up at the arena and I’m like, ‘My back hurts, my feet hurt, my knees hurt. I don’t have it. I just want to chill.’ We all have self-doubt. You don’t deny it, but you also don’t capitulate to it. You embrace it. ~ Kobe Bryant
Patty doesn’t just walk into a room, she takes it over. She stands tall, speaks with confidence and is always well dressed. She is friendly with everyone and remembers each person’s areas of interests and birthday. Is she actually good at her job? No one questioned it; all her colleagues assumed that she must be. Until one day she failed. Her division came in under plan for the year while all the other divisions surpassed plan in both profit and gross sales. Yet in the annual review and promotions process, Patty was one of the two people promoted. Falling forward, that’s Patty.
Do you know of someone like Patty? I worked with Patty early in my career and the lessons she taught me by example have been valuable ever since. Instead of fearing failure, she behaved as if success is hers to claim. She dove into new possibilities, took risks and came out of failure with innovative ideas on how to improve. Here are the key points that I’ve gained from observing her on how to fall forward instead of down:
- Be prepared – Patty came to work each day fully mentally and physically ready to shine. Confident, well groomed and happy to engage.
- Be interested in others – you can learn from others, help them, have fun and gain a supportive network in the process.
- Stretch – Say yes to the new assignment/project and then learn how to do to it. You can only improve if you take on new projects. Seek help and ask questions.
- Don’t be afraid to fail – the fear of failure can hold you back from taking the risks that can advance your goals. Not trying is a recipe for guaranteed mediocrity in the long run because you can only advance if you move from where you are now. However there is always a potential for missing the mark, so prepare contingency plans in case they are needed
- Admit your mistakes – learn from them and use the insights to help you improve. The sooner you deal with what didn’t go as planned, the faster you can analyze what happened and use the new understanding to leverage the current situation to making things better.
Many people live life based on avoiding making mistakes. They are afraid of falling down, but actually you can fall forward! Patty is a great example of how you can turn seeming flops into winners. Greet each day as another opportunity to grow, improve, and have fun. With a mind open to looking for possibilities for the good, you are already ahead in the game. In this autumn season, also known commonly as the fall season, dare to reach for more. You won’t fall down, you can fall forward!
Personal disclosure: I included some of the highlights of what I learned from Patty into my first book, “How to Use What You’ve Got to Get What You Want”. May you too gain from her shining example.
I’ve come to believe that all my past failures and frustrations were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy. ~ Tony Robbins