Failures are good for you

We all know the famous phrase: "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again." I would venture to say that anyone who is very accomplished in one way or another has worked very hard to get there. And in doing so has failed time and time again before they reached the particular level they are at. Michael Jordan lost lots of games and missed lots of shots in his career, yet he is, probably, the most successful basketball player in history. Why? Because he tried again and again and again. Nobody has become a successful businessman or actor, or singer or writer overnight. Most of these people have been through lots and lots of failures. But, they have chosen to move forward and leave them behind, despite the difficulty of it.

I spent a good portion of my growing-up life practicing a musical instrument (and when I say "a good portion" I mean at least 2 hours a day). When I got to college I tried to be a singer. Boy, did I have lots of failures doing that! But, I have done my best to move forward, keep going, and learn more and more to become more accomplished. It still dismays me a bit when I hear people say, "You are so lucky to be so talented!" Because in reality, luck has nothing to do with it. It is true that we are all given different talents. Some of us don't even know what they are yet, but we all have them. But, talent generally doesn't do us much good without a lot of hard work.

That isn't to say that people who don't appear to have major accomplishments, don't have them. Some of the greatest accomplishments are quiet ones, within the family or among friends. Mothers who are patient have practiced hard to be patient. People who genuinely care for others, have practiced serving them and being kind to them. And, like any other skill, patience and kindness becomes natural to them. These qualities, in my opinion, are among the greatest accomplishments anyone can achieve. One does not need his/her name in the public poles to be accomplished.

It is hard to go through failures, no matter what kind they are, but that's why we all have each other!-to lift one another up, and support each other along the way. I have many friends who have practiced, and are very good at, supporting me in both my writing and in many other ways. They have worked hard at it and are very accomplished. 

So, the moral of this post is: if you feel like you are failing right now, try again. And, if you feel like you are doing it alone ask someone to help you. There is always someone. 

And remember, once you get through the failures, you will be stronger for it.