Failure has been my best friend as a writer. It tests you, to see if you have what it takes to see it through.
– Markus Zusak
Failure. Thousands of words have to be written before the right words are found. Similar to gold.
I fail regularly with many things in my life, not just writing. I fail to be kind to every person I run into. I fail to remember what I need to do or when I need to do it. I fail to follow through.
I used to fail and hide away from society and friends. I had decided that because I failed I was no good. I was a failure, and because of this now known fact I didn’t need to participate anymore.
Not true.
I fail. A fact, not a pool to drown myself in. I can acknowledge where I failed, assess what went wrong, and start again with a different take on what to do. I do this even if I’m afraid of failing again.
Effort is my key to succeeding. If I keep generating the effort to do what’s needed in my life, I will make it. “See it through,” as Zusak says.
When I fail in my kindness with others, I practice being kind; especially, if I don’t feel like it. When I fail in remembering what needs to be remembered, I look at what I can do to remember next time. When I fail at following through, I practice following through.
When I fail at missing a day of writing, I start the next day with writing, without the brow-beating, because I don’t change with a baseball bat to the head. I change through my effort, through time and practice, and with help from others.
Weathered Well 