The Upside of Failure - Making Holes in the Broad Side of the Barn
Jack is a champion archer. He learned his skill on the family farm, shooting arrows hour after hour, day after day, at a target that hung on the side of the barn. After a crowd-wowing performance at the State Fair one summer, a local TV interviewer asked him how he acquired such amazing skill. \"Well,\" Jack drawled, \"First you got to learn to keep your eye on the target. And then you got to make a whole lot of holes in the broad side of the barn.\"
In those two simple sentences, Jack spoke volumes about what it takes to be a success. Know what you dream is, and be willing to miss the target as you learn the skills your dream requires.
It\'s the second half of the equation that seems to trip most people up. But willingness to make a lot of holes is exactly what separates those who reach their dreams from those who don\'t. Understanding why the willingness is important and how to increase yours will help put you in the champion category with Jack.
The why of it is simple: unless you let yourself do something badly while you learn it, you\'ll never learn to do it well. You plunked down on your backside a whole lot before you got the knack of walking. If you learned to ride a bike or roller skate, you\'ve had a few skinned elbows and knees. Remember learning to read? When \"saw\" and \"was\" looked a whole lot alike?
Little kids take missing the mark in stride as a natural part of the learning process. It\'s only when we start confusing how we do with who we are that we run into trouble. Failure to perform excellently only means you have more to learn and more practicing to do. And that\'s all it means.
It\'s whether you\'re willing to learn and practice that makes the comment on your character. It\'s whether you have the courage and determination to make more holes in the broad side of the barn that counts. Sure, making mistakes can be painful. We want to do well, after all, and when we fall short of our expectations or hopes, it\'s disappointing. If we fail in front of somebody else, especially somebody we wanted to please or impress, mistakes can be embarrassing or humiliating. But as actress Mary Tyler Moore observed, \"You have to fail in order to practice being brave.\"
The way to bolster your courage and determination is to apply the first part of Jack\'s formula: Learn to keep your eye on your target. Keep envisioning your dream and reminding yourself what it means to you. Then keep on keeping on. Invest the time. Do the study. Find a teacher or mentor or coach. Join or create a MasterMind group for support. Refine the ways you approach the skill. Develop your practicing into a customary routine; find challenge and satisfaction in the practice itself. Be willing to make a lot of holes and sooner or later, they will consistently begin to fall right smack in the center of your target. And when they do, like Jack, you will be a champion.
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For more dream-builder resources and success tips, visit The Tomorrow Game
Susan K. Minarik is the author of Winning the Tomorrow Game
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