365 Day Journal Challenge

Day 5- If you think you fail, fail gloriously

If you think you fail, fail gloriously

Randy Pausch, the author of The Last Lecture wrote, and I'm only summarizing b/c I don’t have the book right in front of me, but he talked of an award he gave his students when they had group assignments. It was the “First Penguin” award. This was the award he gave the group who took the biggest risk and failed. His point was this. Someone has to be the first penguin to jump off the ice and into possibly shark infested waters. This, then, is a courageous group of students who gave it their all and even though they failed, they pushed the envelope and made it possible for the next group to learn from their lessons and perhaps succeed. This group got the stuffed penguin for the duration of the next project.

Randy Pausch also wrote in his book that start-up companies are often more interested in hiring someone whose initial attempt at getting a new company off the ground failed. This person will know what they did wrong and what would have been a better way to do things. These people also know they can live through it and also don’t care to do it again so they will be motivated. That means that if one always succeeds each time they try, they may have no idea what worked or if it was by design or luck that things worked out, the company has no idea if this person is going to run or choke when things get tough and they will likely be so cocky thinking that they can’t lose that they won’t see it coming until they fail.

I still remember misspelling the word “announcement” in the fourth grade spelling bee. I’m a pretty good speller but for some reason, only one “n” came out of my mouth. I don’t misspell that nowadays b/c of that spelling bee. I didn’t make flag corps in high school the first time I tried out but I did the second time and the third. It was hell coming home after not having made it but I worked my tail off and got a girl to work with me on it before the next try out. Small things but I learned to fail AND get back up. Once you do that, you don’t fear failure quite as much b/c you know you have it in you to get back up.

Another thought that comes to mind is this. When we stick our necks out for a good cause or to right an injustice, we have to know that others will want to take hold of the rope attached to the guillotine. Unfortunately, there are those who are threatened by a squeaky wheel or an eager worker. However, if doing something that is right and noble ends up getting you in trouble, sometimes that is just the price you have to pay and you have to know going into it that you are doing something big that you have the talent to do and you have to be willing to fail or suffer some consequences but if you do nothing, you won’t have to risk a thing nor will you or anyone else gain from it.

My son came home one day from school and was upset b/c a kid was picking on another child and also picking on him. He got in trouble in class for talking when he told the bad kid to quit picking on the other one. Honestly, how could I punish him at home for sticking up for another kid. He then felt secure that he was doing the right thing and started a group in his class of kids who were tired of being picked on and the only requirement to get in is that you had to stop picking at other kids. They actually got a couple of minor bullies in their club b/c all the sudden, you pick on one and five or six are standing in front of you. They didn’t hit back, just all stuck up for each other. All this because he was tired of getting in trouble for speaking out against a kid that was being mean. Now they don’t have to talk to the bad kid, just look at them (twelve eyes or more at the same time) and they get the message. I was so proud of him for that.

I think you don’t have to fbe obligated to fight all battles 110%, but if there is something that means a lot to you, go all out and do the best you can. If you fail, you will have failed gloriously if you gave it all you had. Some of us want to get our writing published. Some don’t. But if you don’t send it out, you know for sure you will fail (actually, failure implies that you actually tried so you didnt even really fail, you just didn't attempt if nothing is ever sent out)..

If you send out your writing, you might fail but you might warm the editor up and the next time you send something, he or she might think, this person is persistent, maybe we will give them another peek. Maybe you will accidentally touch the editor’s or reviewer’s heart or remind them of something in their childhood and they get behind your piece and push it through to print. Maybe you will get a scathing letter saying how horrible you did on plot development but the characters were pretty good, work on it and try again later. Maybe all you get is a feeling that you stuck your neck out there and you can’t fail to get some benefit from trying, even it’s just a little more pride in yourself or your work.

This being said, how can we know we tried our best if we always succeed? How do we know how far we can climb if we reach the top each time? And hey, ask a toddler or young child (or teenager) how they find out the rules. They go beyond and push the limits and then they know (hopefully if the parents teach them) how far is too far and how far is just enough. If they fail to get what they want by screaming or having a tantrum, chances are they will try another tactic (we hope, anyway). Failing is nothing but bumping into the rail. It tells us to scoot a bit the other way and try again, sort of like bowling. It is feedback. Thats it.
Failure is nothing but feedback. If we think of it that way, isn't it so much easier to swallow?

This is the second time a prompt this week has come right after writing a new poem. I wrote this yesterday afternoon. I think it is appropriate for this prompt.
"Messin' up art"

SWPoet




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