Today was a perfect example of this title for me. I participated in a heart challenge at the gym today. We had to bike five miles as fast as we could you could take time off your bike ride by doing push-ups or reps on the bench. I had a number in my mind of what I wanted to do, I was on the cusp of completing that number and literally failed a 1/4 of an inch from racking. I was pissed at myself, I wasn’t feeling the greatest so then I began to dwell on my failure. It stuck with me during my five mile ride, on the walk back to work and for most of the afternoon. In fact, a part of me is still upset and feel like I failed myself.
The thing that I didn’t stop and think about is the success I had completing the challenge, this for a guy who turns 39 a week from today. When I got a text from a great competitor saying i was in the lead when she left and then getting the text saying congrats you won the challenge I finally stopped dwelling about my failure and began to focus on my success.
Many of us continue to have that issue where we dwell on things that don’t go our way instead of things that do. Failure often times is the best step to success. In my pouting today, I pushed myself harder on the bike to the point that my right foot came out of the stirrup at mile 4.5. I rode the last half a mile with my foot on top of the pedal.
Today was a great reminder of what one can do when they push themselves. I set out with one goal and was able to accomplish it, even if it wasn’t the numbers I wanted. Coaching is another aspect that pushes this thinking. I have guys that get upset when they get out, they dwell on a strike out or a line drive that someone catches. A MLB player is a all-star or hall-of-famer when they go 3-10. To get a 13-year old to stop, listen and understand that 3-10 is a good stretch.
Slow down, enjoy the successes you experience. Learn from the failures and push yourself to be better. Even when you think you have failed, there may come a text or two stating that you won.
Enjoy your day!
TCB