A key to success
Any study of success is, by default, also a study of failure.
I’ve always been curious about the nature of successful living, in particular the charms and challenges of the creative journey.
But as a creativity coach, I have a new incentive to analyse the process, to question when and why life works – or doesn’t.
Because, as coaches, both our successes and failures are a precious fuel, a unique blend that enables us to create and express with more compassion and understanding, approaches that can soothe, comfort or uplift our audience.
We can channel painful lessons into our work in ways that help others, purely because of the challenges we’ve faced ourselves.
And so the trials of our lives can be valuable research, first-hand accounts of our experiments in the laboratory of life.
Our struggles can be viewed as earning our stripes in the creative trenches, face-to-face with the doubts, dilemmas, fears and frustrations of the creative life.
In this light, the failures can often be bigger gifts than the successes.
Because in failing, we’re taught compassion.
In falling, we learn what it takes to get back up and try again.
In disappointment, we’re taught resilience and strength.
When faced with slow or lacklustre results, we learn the value of persistence, the power of perseverance and the demands of patience.
With every challenge comes a new awareness that will enrich our skillset in the service of connecting with our fellow humans and inspiring them with our work.
The bruises of our own lives give us priceless insights into the struggles of our readers, customers, clients and students.
Our so-called failures are actually successful additions to our expertise as a coach.
Even when we lose – perhaps especially when we lose – we uncover practical, workable techniques that we can teach and share.
Failure: A Creative Asset
In my own life, I’ve learned that the more I try – whether I succeed or fall short – the more I can add to my Coaching Toolbox – the collection of tried-and-tested remedies derived from my own creative hits and misses.
Nothing is ever wasted.
No effort is ever lost.
It’s all valuable experience.
Yet the benefits of failure can also extend beyond our work, helping us find more calm, happiness – and success – in our own lives.
Firstly, we can refine our own journey by learning from past failures.
But there’s another bonus to adopting an analytical approach to the inevitable bumps.
When we analyse the probleme du jour with a view to learning shareable lessons, we’re more able to approach the situation with the cool head of the scientist, or the calm of a curious observer.
Failure can simply be feedback, rather than The End of the World!
(At least, some of the time.)
This helps to remove the emotion and drama, bringing an element of soul-soothing detachment.
And so…
As the gifts of failure become an asset to our work,
the gift of coaching becomes an asset to our lives.
Because if you feel called to share your heart and wisdom with others, I believe you are meant to do so.
And while there may be lessons to learn and mistakes to make along the way, I feel that a more positive approach to failure can open up more possibilities for success.
It also makes the journey more of a joyful adventure – and isn’t that really the whole point? 🙂
And if you’ve turned around any failures and found the positive lessons or gifts, I’d love to hear.
To your success, in all its disguises.
And if you’re interested in the wonderful Email Coaching format (SO good for writers and introverts!), I wrote about the many lovely benefits of Email Coaching here.
“My dad encouraged us to fail, growing up.
He would ask us what we failed at that week.
If we didn’t have something, he would be disappointed.
It changed my mindset at an early age that
failure is not the outcome – failure is not trying.
Don’t be afraid to fail.”
~ SARA BLAKELY
Founder of Spanx
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