Yesterday I introduced the Never Give Up Teachings Lesson 1 Never Stop Trying , where I said “The key is getting up in the morning and doing your best, trying as hard as you humanly can.” The message being never stop trying.
How many famous writers got published by the first agent they sent their manuscript to, J.K. Rowling didn’t? How many inventors have got things right first time, Thomas Edison didn’t. How many entrepreneurs succeed all the time, Richard Branson didn’t. They all kept on trying. There is no failure when you never stop trying.
We learn from our failures.The success I am now enjoying in life is very much down to the lessons I learnt from my massive, painful failure.
“Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure.” George E. Woodberry
An important element though is that it’s not just trying hard and hoping for the best, but having a determination, resilience and knowing exactly where you want to get too.
Everything I now know has been acquired from my personal experiences moving from failure to success. Not only did I learn the value of never stop trying but also knowing the destination I wanted to arrive at.
I used to work with a guy that constantly said, his greatest fear was climbing to the top of the ladder and finding the ladder was up against the wrong wall. Later on I was to read this quote:
“If the ladder is not leaning against the right wall, every step we take just gets us to the wrong place faster” Stephen R. Covey
Stephen Covey in the book “The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People says to “begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you are going so the steps you take are always in the right direction.” It is so easy to lose yourself in the “busy-ness of life” working harder and harder only to find out that your ladder is up against the wrong wall. When you are trying to do things which are misdirected, this will get you nowhere.
This is worse than failure. To put so much time, effort, money, and energy into projects and then actually gain the things we seek, only to realize that those things weren’t all we thought they’d be.
My life shifted the minute I realised that I had been working hard seeking vain glory, where in truth I wanted to be making a difference. Once my efforts were targeted at trying to do this everything changed.
People may spend their whole lives climbing the ladder of success only to find, once they reach the top, that the ladder is leaning against the wrong wall. So make sure the things you are trying to do are what you really want.
“Each mistake teaches you something new about yourself. There is no failure, remember, except in no longer trying. It is the courage to continue that counts.” Chris Bradford, The Way of the Sword
Never allow yourself to be disheartened by failure or unsuccessful attempts. You just have to keep trying, but assure yourself you’re aiming for the right end goal.
Never stop trying to reach your goals … the right goals. I hope the never give up learnings will help you on your journey.
