… A LIFE HALF LIVED
“Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor.” – Truman Capote
I’ve been doing a lot of teaching and mentoring lately and this idea of a fear and being afraid of making a mistake, or fear of not having a perfect brand, fear of not knowing enough, and all other sorts of fears is something that keeps coming up. One of the most important things we need to learn as creatives is to ignore that fear. If I had listened to my fears and doubts about starting I Love Wednesdays, I wouldn’t be here today doing what I love; instead I’d probably be working somewhere ‘safe’ for someone else. Fear makes you stick to what’s comfortable and makes people complacent. Complacency has never been a good thing for creative endeavours.
The risk of failure is inevitable, in whatever we do. Every successful person in the world has failed more than most people combined, and that’s what makes them so successful, being willing to reach further, challenging themselves to explore new ideas, escaping their comfort zone, and getting right back up when they fall flat on their face.
I’ve been working on my list of goals for 2011 and they are extensive, audacious and more than likely impossible… but I would rather be just south of audacious than just north of complacent.
xoxo
16 Comments
Leah Kua
LOVE it Len! Thank you 🙂
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Nora
Here Here! well said, or should I say written. A bit of inspiration for us all.
Elissa
I’ve been thinking the same thing for the past year. If others before me can do something, why can’t I? It’s comforting to know that even really talented people such as yourself have the same doubts sometimes. One of my favorite quotes is:
Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat. – Theodore Roosevelt
Louisa Coulthurst
The greatest people have ‘failed’ in their time, but they didn’t stop at failure, they just used it as experience. Failure is only failure if you stop trying.
Great photo btw.
Leah Muse
Awesome. I believe and agree with everything you said.
Kat Forsyth
That last sentence is perfect. I want to be south of audacious, too. Ludicrous, even. You go girl! And so will I.
sarah der
“I’ve been working on my list of goals for 2011 and they are extensive, audacious and more than likely impossible… but I would rather be just south of audacious than just north of complacent.”
Thank you!!!!!! That is exactly what I needed to hear starting out this new year. Hear yee, hear yee!
Alicia Kennison
Good luck with your list of goals for 2011. Love your post. 🙂
Avelaine Scyrup
Here, here! I hope you accomplish your goals – at the very least, I know you will enjoy the journey =)
William Massey
Very inspiring words 🙂 I guess you just have to go with your gut sometimes and trust yourself. Anyway, beautiful photo!
Graymask
Very inspiring, keep it up!
Kim
This is so incredibly gorgeous… Dream like.
Jared Tseng
Amen! Needed to hear this.
Alen Abdula
Inspirational for us all! I love the image.
Heather
We wish you the best! <3
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