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CHOOSING TO Fail forward

Have you ever heard the phrase "failing forward" and wondered what it meant?


I mean, it kind of sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it?



However, while failure often feels difficult - and can seem like a set-back at times - what I've experienced is that "failing" is often a crucial step on the path to success.


As I write this, I think back to my very first job interview as a massage therapist. Without sharing all the gory details, let's just say it didn't go well.


A few morsels:


  • I was so nervous I momentarily forgot all the techniques I learned.

  • My draping was clumsy, bunchy, and very shaky.

  • After a particular warm-up technique on the legs, the interviewer sat up on the table and asked me if I had actually "been taught to do it that way" in school.


The interview seemed to go further downhill from there as the business owner gave me a lot of direct criticism about my work, techniques and massage. Suffice it to say I felt like I'd made a HUGE mistake by going to massage school, wasted a ton of money and time, and was a big, fat failure.


Then I got a total shock. He offered me the job anyway, with the understanding that I would need one-on-one tutoring and a lot of practice on my weak areas and techniques.



I was stunned, left the interview ready to quit doing massage before I even started my career. Thankfully, due to the on point advice of my then boyfriend, I chose to fail forward by listening to and learning from my new boss.


To his credit, my boss helped me master those shaky techniques, gain confidence, and commit to being a full-time massage therapist. In a few short years, I became the one doing interviews and providing tutoring and mentoring in my own business.


When I think back about what my life would have been like if I let the "failure" of that first interview stop me in my tracks, I am incredibly grateful I chose to leap-frog over it instead. In fact, that experience may have been exactly what I needed to become a success.


What made me think of this story and want to share it?


I just submitted four pieces of art (including the original of the one above) to Embracing Our Differences (EOD) - an exhibition in Sarasota and St. Pete, Florida. A year ago it was the very first exhibition I entered - and my work was not selected- another "failure." For a moment today, as my finger hovered over the enter button, I was caught up in the worry of not being chosen again.


But then I stopped, and thought of ALL the good stuff that came as a result of trying:


  • I got to paint my first mural which has been featured in the Orlando news and paper.

  • I was invited to show art at the Orlando Fringe Festival and Immerse Fest.

  • As of Saturday, I'll have had art in 16 shows and/or installations in the last 9 months

  • I've sold eight original pieces and quite a few prints.

  • I've gotten connected to a loving supporting arts community that reminds me so much of the massage, spa and wellness community.


These are is just a couple of MANY examples I've had of "failing" at something in business and life. And though the sting of loss or rejection can still hurt, I've learned to look at failure for what it really is...a teacher, a turning point, an opportunity to pause and re-evaluate.


Doing this is a choice, a discipline, perhaps even a skill. Learning to reframe the way we look at our "set-backs" and the side-quests that result from them is one of the most vital skills a person or professional of any kind can have.


Though I wish you nothing but success, I'll bet you have experienced similiar moments or have them ahead of you. Knowing that, I wanted to remind you that you aren't alone and can make the most of these moments by choosing to fail forward.


By the way...if you're in the Orlando/Central Florida area, you can check out more of my original art at the following locations:



And if you happen to be in the Rochester, New York area, please visit 6 x 6 - The International Small Art Phenomenon now until July 25th


CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ORIGINALS & PRINTS




 
 
 

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