There's NO Such Thing as Failure!

When you come right down to it, failure is a word we use to describe anything short of absolute success. Like perfection, success is unforgiving, when measured systemically. You either succeed or you don’t. For many people, there is nothing between success and failure. It’s an either/or, all-or-nothing outcome. Get an interesting and inspiring perspective on the concept of failure in this document by Mitch Axelrod.

How do you define failure? Take a moment and recall your biggest failures in life. What comes to mind, and more important, what does the recollection do to your body and physiology? Remembering feelings of failure can raise blood pressure, alter body chemistry, and create a depressed state of mind. That’s the power of the mind in action.

Now, reframe these failures as learning experiences. Ask yourself, "What was the most valuable thing that came out of those experiences? What success(es) did they lead to?"

In the intrinsic (spiritual) world, there’s no such thing as failure.

Failure is a concept that can only exist in the context of systemic thinking as the perfect/imperfect, either/or (opposite) of success. In the two-dimensional "systemic" world of value, you either succeed or you _ _ _ _. I don’t have to finish the sentence.

The "systemic" paradigm of value focuses on an "either/or" mindset in which everything must be either perfect or imperfect. In this case, it’s success or failure. We define success, and then aspire to achieve the concept we defined. Every person on the planet has a unique definition of success.

In the extrinsic (real) world, what is failure? If you believe Henry Ford’s definition, failure is "the opportunity to more intelligently begin again." I like that. No failure, just learning.

In the intrinsic world of value, there is no such thing as failure. Our spirits don’t fail. Our bodies fail, and often our minds "fail," — but our spirits cannot fail. Failure is another one of those systemic setups, and for some people, a major source of tension and dissatisfaction with life. Just as there is no "perfect" purpose, there is no perfect success.

When you come right down to it, failure is a word we use to describe anything short of absolute success. Like perfection, success is unforgiving, when measured systemically. You either succeed or you don’t. For many people, there is nothing between success and failure. It’s an either/or, all-or-nothing outcome.

It’s tough enough to bear the pressure of having to succeed at everything we do, and suffer the self-inflicted pain of non-success (failure). It’s doubly tough when the standard of "success" is absolute. Using this definition, 99% success is still failure.

I believe that the world and everyone in it could do very nicely without the systemic concept (idea, belief, or definition) of failure. For nearly two decades, I’ve been encouraging people in my seminars and personal interactions to eliminate the word "failure." I’d like to see it removed from our dictionary. But since that will never happen, let’s abolish the word from our vocabulary.

I propose a different either/or: "success, or learning." Even better, how about "success and learning," which guarantees a win-win outcome for every choice. This isn’t wishful thinking — but a true reflection of the outcomes of choosing.

For the extreme perfectionist or the success-obsessed individual, such a perspective borders on heresy. After all, without some absolute measure of success how will we know when we achieve it?

Most of us see success as an end result, a destination, or a positive outcome. What if success were actually the journey? Suppose that success didn’t depend on achieving a favorable outcome? What if success were defined as the willing attempt, rather than only as the result? How would life improve if we truly saw choices in the either/and light of succeed and learn?

Stress kills. For many of us, one of the major sources of stress is the process of making decisions, especially those that can significantly affect and alter our lives.

As human beings, we crave comfort and prefer the status quo. Decisions and choices create stress because we have a vested interest in the outcome. People literally make themselves sick over life decisions. The consequences of failure can wreak havoc with our thinking and even weaken our immune system. There’s a high degree of synergy between mind and body, even if we don’t consciously see the connection. Just the idea of failing at something can send the body into spasms. I don’t know a single person who hasn’t experienced this.

Let’s shift our either/or thinking of succeed or fail, into the either/and paradigm of succeed and learn. After all, the attempt creates success regardless of the outcome. Remember, outside of our systemic thinking, there’s no such thing as failure!

Impact your life, livelihood, and living today — and every day — in a big way. Don’t accept success orfailure. Succeed — and learn!