I meet people every day trying to deal with a variety of remorse and regrets, related to matters that they perceive as failures in their lives.
In order to get a right perspective on failure or success, we need to consider, that nothing great has ever been achieved without the discipline of failure. Failure should be regarded as a friend. It provides me with guideposts to the future. It presents warnings of past dangers. It directs, corrects, counsels, and provides wisdom on how to eventually progress.
A misunderstanding of success, is the root cause of the problem. Success is a direction, and not a destination. Therefore, why measure events as success or failure? If I am on the road to success then failures are a necessary part of that experience.
Past failures have allowed me, personally, to develop humility and empathy with other fellow strugglers. It has allowed me to judge less, to cut some slack, to tolerate weakness and to empower others to move past their disappointments. It has also provided me with various tools to forgive. It has taught me to be courageous, to move forward with care, to persist and to navigate the labyrinth of feelings we experience as a result of falling short. Most of all, it has given me the road map to progress and develop from those struggles.
I am sure that; I am not where I should be… but I thank God I am not where I used to be.
Solomon in his great wisdom stated that; “Faithful are the wounds of a friend”, Proverbs 27:6. Failures then, are the faithful reminders and wounds of a friend.
© Rui Coelho
