What I have learned about people and organizations...so far.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Failure Is Not "THE END"

You Can Be a
Famous Failure

He blew up his laboratory and his brother in his quest to develop dynamite. That was one of Albert Nobel’s (most famous for the Nobel Prize) less stellar moments.  I bet you have experienced failure, as well. Aren’t you glad that you did not blow up your brother in the process?

Failure is just a part of life and the world is filled with famous failures.  Here are several examples:
  • He was not able to speak until he was almost four years old and his teachers said, “He will never amount to much.” – Albert Einstein
  • He was fired from a newspaper for “lacking imagination” and “having no original ideas.” – Walt Disney
  • She was demoted from her job as a news anchor because “she wasn’t fit for television.” – Oprah Winfrey
  • They were rejected by the largest music distributers of their day.  The recording studio said, “We don’t like their sound – they have no future in show business.” – The Beatles
  • At the age of 30 he was depressed, having been fired as the head of company he had started. – Steve Jobs
  • After being cut from his high school basketball team he went home locked himself in his room and cried. – Michael Jordan

Failure is really not “the end” although it can feel like it.  In the words of Winston Churchill, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts."  You can be a famous failure!