I got this video in an email today and it made me think. First, I’ll let you watch it and then I will comment.

As simple as this video is, it goes a long way to help people see that failure is not the problem when it comes to having trouble reaching success. The problem comes when people let those failures stop them. When they stop getting up after getting knocked down. As you let your failures become the excuses that weigh you down, your dreams start to fade.

None of the people in this video let the “experts” determine their success. None of them agreed that they would never succeed. They knew what they wanted and they did what needed to be done to get their. It may have hurt at the time, but they continued on.

And it’s not like any of these people had instant success. Looking into their histories, you will probably find that they were some of the hardest working individuals in their fields before they achieved greatness. In fact, the supposed failures that they had experienced in the past could have been the reason that they had to work so hard to succeed. Maybe they did have a fault that COULD have prevented them from succeeding, but they didn’t let that stop them.

Personally, I have no aspirations to be as good at a sport as Michael Jordan, as funny as Lucille Ball, as inventive as Thomas Edison, or as original as Walt Disney, etc. What I do know is I have dreams that I want to make come true and I have ideas of how I am going to do that. I also know that…

• whenever I play a sport, I put everything I have into it.
• I am not afraid to bring out the humour.
• I have ideas that will make a difference in other people’s lives.
• my creativity has a power of its own.
• etc.

What I am saying is that I am not afraid to put myself out there on a limb to achieve something I want.

Everything you can dream can be achieved, it is just a matter of finding your path. The road may be rough and windy. Look at the journey as a blessing, not as a penance. Take from your journey lessons that will help you on the road ahead.

Stop letting failure stop you. Learn from failure and let it drive you to success.