There are many great quotes attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. This post’s title is among my favorites. It probably has something to do with my age. And the realization of how true it is. Here are some snippets of wisdom that life, experience and maturity have taught me. Just understand that even though I know these things are true…it’s still challenging to incorporate them into my life. It’s still about trying to turn a lot of avergeness into something more!
Don’t avoid trying something because it’s hard – instead, run toward trying it because it’s hard.
Too many times we avoid chasing a dream because we’ve convinced ourselves (or we’ve allowed somebody else to convince us) that it’s just too hard. All the more reason to give it a go!
When you first try, expect failure. After all, if it were easy everybody would do it.
Failure is part of the process. Learning doesn’t happen without it. We need to kick to the curb the notion of failure as being the end. Instead, failure is often the beginning of success. Take the training wheels off the bike and we all fall down. Figuring out how to balance the bike takes experience and repeated attempts. Nobody ever figured out how to ride a bike without skinned up knees. Nobody. Be willing to skin your knees.
Perform as though the world is expecting you to figure it out…and waiting to stand up and cheer!
One of the biggest characteristics of successful people is their ability to expect success. It’s as if they think the world is just waiting for them to perform. They sell expecting people to buy. They pitch expecting to hear somebody say, “Yes.” They talk about their idea as if it can’t fail.
When asked to perform, most people say, “Oh, I don’t want to.” Why not? They’re afraid. They’re embarrassed. They’ve got it all wrong. You have to be willing to be embarrassed else you’ll never be able to experience applause.
When you view the world as anxiously waiting for you to succeed, it spurs you on to give the world what they want. What if we view the world like an anxious audience at the end of a great concert? What if the world is waiting to stand up and cheer for US? Too many people focus on the haters who want to “boo” when they should be considering all the people who want to see us succeed. The world loves a winner. Give them one. YOU.
Discouragement is a sifter that determines if you’re a winner or not.
Everybody experiences discouragement. Everybody. Setbacks happen to everybody. You think you’re the only one, but you’re wrong. Intellectually you know that, but emotionally you don’t. You feel alone. Depressed. Discouraged. Rejected.
Welcome to the sifter! A sifter can serve to not only sort and eliminate, but it can serve to prepare an ingredient to succeed. When flour is sifted it’s aerated, evenly distributed and makes the finished product a winner. When you’re sifted, it can result in the same thing – success. But only if you don’t buck it. Only if you accept it for what it really is. Only if you refuse to quit.
Most people don’t survive the sifter. It defeats them. That’s good for YOU. The sifter eliminates those who aren’t worthy of success. Those people who don’t have enough determination, confidence, experience, know-how or courage — they don’t survive the sifter. That’s the point. Somehow the winners and losers must be separated. Discouragement enters and presto. Welcome to the sifter. Your response will determine your destiny.
It takes time. Be patient.
Lastly, if it’s worth doing, it’s gonna take some time. Riding a bike takes time, but anybody can master it if they put in enough time. Only the kid who falls, then runs home to mommie fails to learn. Quit crying. Quit whining. Put in the time and be patient. What you’re doing is big, right? It’s worthwhile, right? It’s highly valuable, right? Then it’s gonna take time and it’ll be worth it. Races aren’t won until you cross the finish line. Keep running.
