Failure: The Final Frontier…

Failure, is it the Final frontier? Oprah Winfrey learned that failure is only an illusion after her cable network started off poorly. She said the worst time in her professional life came when the Oprah Winfrey Network’s (OWN) ratings plummeted a year after launch. Later, in a Harvard commencement speech, Winfrey said that she told herself repeatedly that failure is an illusion. She said “there is no such thing as failure. Failure is just a lie trying to move us in another direction.

Brian Tracy asked the question “What is the best advice you have ever received for overcoming your fear of failure?” Responders shared:

• Don’t hate your weaknesses, God will meet you there!
• You will never experience true success without learning from some level of failure
• No matter how slow, just keep on moving
• FAIL = First Attempt in Learning
• Think BIG. Act BIG. Get BIG.
• Don’t bury your head in the sand and expect a pat on the back from me. It’s hard. You go to hustle but you will be fine.
• The worst that can happen is you mess it up, or get told no.
• We fail every time but each time we must fail better
• Failure never fails you as long as you’re willing to learn from it
• I don’t need to overcome fear of failure.  I seek failure.
• Believe.
• I reckon I’d be amazing in my job if I could get past the fear of failure and what everyone will think
• What’s the worst that can happen?
• Behind fear is desire
• Nothing ventured, nothing gained
• Don’t ever quit. Keep going
• Motion conquers fear
• Work hard and be patient
• You can’t be successful without failure
• That’s ok…do it scared
• You have to get uncomfortable to be comfortable
• Break it up into small parts when you get scared. Then take small steps. Never give up and you will always find momentum…and you’re off…that’s the magic
• The fear of failure has killed more dreams than failure ever has
• Not Trying- that’s the only failure
• Nothing ventured. Nothing gained.
• Keep going
• Take massive action

Diverse responses but you get the picture. My personal mantra remains ‘feel the fear….but do it anyway’. Essentially, don’t let fear get in the way of you going after your goals.

Oprah encouraged when you’re down in the hole, when that moment comes, it’s okay to feel bad for a little while. Give yourself time to mourn what you think you may have lost. But then learn from every mistake because every experience, encounter, and particularly your mistakes are there to teach you and force you into being more of who you are.

So don’t be afraid. Failure is only Temporary. Pursue your passion. Win, lose or draw…you tried! No regrets.

Cheers!

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Author: Dr. Shelly

Dr. Shelly Cameron is a leadership strategist, author, and executive coach dedicated to helping individuals uncover their purpose, elevate their leadership potential, and achieve meaningful success. She is the creator of the GreenLight Leadership Framework. As the curator of SuccessfulLeaders.net, Dr. Shelly shares insights drawn from her extensive experience in organizational development, human resources, and personal growth. She is passionate about empowering professionals to navigate change, manage stress, and design fulfilling lives through intentional goal setting, self-discovery, and continuous learning. Dr. Shelly's research on Success Strategies was published in the JAABC Business Journal. She is also the author of several books, including works on leadership, success, and cultural intelligence. View all posts by Dr. Shelly