From epic failure to legendary success

What do these 10 people all have in common?

1. J.K. Rowling
2. Steve Jobs
3. Bill Gates
4. Albert Einstein
5. Abraham Lincoln
6. Michael Jordan
7. Steven Spielberg
8. Walt Disney
9. Vincent Van Gogh
10. Stephen King

At first thought, you would likely say that they all experienced a legendary level of success.

And that is certainly true.  What is more interesting to note is on their way to success, each of these people also experienced epic failure.  

J.K. Rowling was rejected by 12 different publishers after writing the first Harry Potter book.  Steve Jobs was fired from Apple.  Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard.  Einstein could not speak legibly until he was nine years old.  Lincoln failed in business and lost his first election.  

Michael Jordan was cut from his varsity basketball team.  Spielberg’s application to USC was rejected three times.  Disney dropped out of school at a young age and one of his earliest ventures went bankrupt.  Van Gogh only sold one painting in his life.  Stephen King was rejected by multiple publishers and had addictions to drugs and alcohol that led him to contemplate harming his children. 

Instead of wallowing in their self-pity.  Each one of these ordinary people came out of the negative experience stronger and and more determined to achieve success.  

You cannot control the outcome of any venture, but you can control your reaction to them.  

So, here’s what I learned from studying my own (and others) failures.

1. If you try new things, occasionally you are going to fail.  
2. Learn that failure is only a result.  It’s not bad, it’s only a result. 
3. With every venture, focus only on the things that you can control.
4. If you fail, don’t let it paralyze you.  Learn what you can and move on to the next project.    

That how you stay out of the emotional straight jacket and keep moving towards your success.

I’d love to know, what are you struggling with today?  What fear is holding you back?

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