Rethinking Success . . . and Failure

"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games.  26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed.  I've failed over and over and over again in my life.  And that is why I succeed." ~ Michael Jordan

We aren't geared to think of failing our way to success, are we?  When we think of successful people, we erroneously often believe that these people are somehow just born successful.  We assume that they are somehow different than we are, that they are just blessed or lucky or whatever.   The reality is that most successful people weren't born that way, and most had their fair share of failure, including Michael Jordan.  What made them eventually successful was that they kept on trying, and failing, and never allowed their failure to define them. 

Here's another example:  When Thomas Edison was interviewed by a young reporter who boldly asked Mr. Edison if he felt like a failure and if he thought he should just give up by now. Perplexed, Edison replied, "Young man, why would I feel like a failure? And why would I ever give up? I now know definitively over 9,000 ways that an electric light bulb will not work. Success is almost in my grasp." And shortly after that, and over 10,000 attempts, Edison invented the light bulb.

Perseverance,  and a vision of what is possible, even if it is not yet in our grasp, is what keeps us going when things are disappointing.  We only truly fail when we give up and stop trying.  Until that point, every failure is an opportunity to learn and grow.

Perhaps you've failed on every other weight loss program you've been on.  Perhaps you're back on this program again for the second, third, or fourth time.  It doesn't matter.  What DOES matter is that you're here now and maybe, just maybe, this is your time.  I believe it is, because I know this plan works, and I know that if you make the decision to just follow the program one meal at a time, you WILL reach your goal.  Even if you've tried and failed a million times, this time can be different, if you make the choice.  Choose wisely :-)