Introduction
The proof that embracing failure works is that you are reading this book.
Laid off a week before Christmas. Panic. Failure. Old thoughts. Deep breath...
I'd been an employee for almost four years at an almost perfect company. Less than a mile from home, I walked to work in flip flops most every day in the summer. Lots of young and ambitious coworkers. Big dreams. Lots of success.
But as life often does, it changed. The economy, an evolving industry, changes in priorities and perspective and personnel. Probably a combination of all of these reasons and a few more. No matter though, that's all in the past. It took me a few weeks to grieve and breathe and settle into this new reality, but now it's all good. No regrets. Walking on, moving forward.
And then I realized, that this book I had planned, at a brainstorming session / dinner with my oldest son, was writing itself in my life. I was indeed “embracing failure” and walking on, and in so doing, creating opportunities for success in the new horizons I now faced.
Many failures, many trials, many hardships. In some respects these past six weeks have been the most difficult in my life. I tried many things – proofreading a book, building a few websites, reaching out to old contacts, looking for a job. And everything I tried failed. I was denied unemployment benefits. I was late on my rent, the letters from the landlord more and more demanding.
I woke up every day with a positive and grateful and hopeful attitude but was beat down by the failures at every turn. But then I started to realize that the failures did not have to paralyze me. As I walked through each one I got a little stronger and more clear. I embraced the success with gratitude, but I also embraced the failure with gratitude. I'm still standing. And still walking. And hope is dawning. Hope is dawning.