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Bouncing Back

By Wendi Kelly 24 Comments

 

I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom
~George S. Patton.

 

 I have failed at least forty-five times already this week. And no-I’m not keeping count. That is probably a low estimate. It is safe to say that in the world of trying to build a new addition to this website and doing it on my own that…

 

I AM A FAILURE

Big deal, so what, who cares. The job still has to get done. It’s on the goal list. It has a deadline. It’s part of the plan.

I feel like shoving the whole thing aside and going out for a run or just reading everyone else’s blogs instead. Make some nice comments. Eat chocolate. Eat more chocolate. Do my nails.

That won’t fix anything. You will still be a failure when you get back. You still won’t know how to create what you want. You’ll just be fatter…with nice nails.

But I feel like I am hitting my head against the wall, I’m going in circles and I’m getting dizzy. I’ve sunk to the bottom and I can’t get up. I don’t know where to go from here.

 

PERFECT. THEN THE ONLY PLACE TO GO IS UP

  

Look around, get some help, send in the reinforcements, cry out, admit your need, call in the Cavalry but whatever you do…DON’T GIVE UP. The bottom of the barrel is the perfect place to view the sky. Sometimes you can get the best perspective from there. Creativity often comes just before the proverbial towel has been thrown. Failure is a brutal but brilliant teacher. There is nothing like getting out in the trenches and feeling the sting of messing it up to really build the desire of learning.

 

Get Stubborn. Find your Inner Yorkshire Terrier if you have to. Grab on to the ankle of that giant problem and shake it until it comes toppling down. Take ten steps, take a deep breath and then take ten more. Keep on trudging but don’t you dare quit.

 

 AS LONG AS YOU ARE BREATHING, SUCCESS IS AN OPTION

 

 There is a way. There is a solution. There is someone who knows the answer. There is someone who can help unlock the door. Go ask, go find, search, learn, get better. GROW.

 

 AS I FAIL, I WILL SUCCEED

 

 

Wendi Kelly

Wendi Kelly is a coach who helps her clients transform their mindsets, strategies and habits so they can go from confusion to clarity and fill their lives with love, joy and productivity. Need to get your mindsets clear so your life and business can get on track? Contact Wendi and have a chat about how she can help you turn around your patterns and lifestyle once and for all!

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Filed Under: Inspired Living, LifeslittleInspirations Tagged With: bookstore, failure, Inspired Living, stubborness

Comments

  1. Patricia says

    October 2, 2008 at 4:33 pm

    Nice post.It sounds familiar to me.Well, I send you some words of wisdom (not mine,mind you)
    “If you wish success in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian angel. “-Joseph Addison
    Something I do to wake up my muse is reading quotes and even stories.Hope it’ll be useful for you
    Kind regards
    Patricia

    Reply
  2. Vered - MomGrind says

    October 2, 2008 at 5:01 pm

    Congrats on the bookstore. 🙂

    I love the idea that failure is a stepping stone for success.

    Vered – MomGrind’s last blog post..Beauty Standards Have Sure Changed

    Reply
  3. Melissa Donovan says

    October 2, 2008 at 5:27 pm

    Even as I was reading this, I kept thinking “Oh Wendi, whatever the challenge, she’ll find a solution.” And you did! Yay! Now I’m off to explore your bookstore. Congratulations 😉

    Melissa Donovan’s last blog post..Book Lovers’ Special

    Reply
  4. Karen Swim says

    October 2, 2008 at 9:12 pm

    Wendi, honey next time holler! This post however is one that I could read everyday and go “okay, deep breath, see it’s okay.” I fail daily, sometimes really big raging monster public failures, but whew, still breathing so I get to do it all over again. 🙂 This is such sound wisdom and inspiration. And…yay for the bookstore!!! I plan on shopping here, really we should all get our Amazon stuff through our friends. 🙂

    Reply
  5. Writer Dad says

    October 2, 2008 at 9:42 pm

    As long as you are breathing, success is an option. I love that sentence. And Wendi, seriously, your inspired books bookstore is brilliant. Best of luck.

    P.S. I don’t know why, but for the last two days, your comments are going into the spam folder. If it takes a while for me to catch your comment, that is why. Sorry.

    Writer Dad’s last blog post..Behind Their Eyes

    Reply
  6. Rita says

    October 2, 2008 at 11:17 pm

    Wendi,
    Congrats on not giving up! I actually stopped breathing this past week, and I’m here today congratulating you. Trust me, even if you stop breathing, if you’re lucky, you can still meet goals. You may have to do a teeny bit of re-prioritizing, but it’s damn good to be back among the living – and congratulating friends!
    Rita

    Rita’s last blog post..The TERRIBLE PARENTING Song We Love to Hear

    Reply
  7. Lance says

    October 3, 2008 at 4:11 am

    We learn much from our mistakes…

    You didn’t give up, and look where it has taken you! Awesome bookstore Wendi! And what makes it awesome is that it’s a very personal bookstore – one where you’re making recommendations – I feel your time and heart going into the selections. Not just random books…

    I wish you well on this new journey you’re on. May it exceed your wildest dreams!

    Lance’s last blog post..A Helping Hand

    Reply
  8. Wendi says

    October 3, 2008 at 9:24 am

    Thank you every one on the well wishes for the bookstore! I am very excited about it and it is one of my goals listed on the front page of the blog in the bottom corner that I am very focused on. I am committed to getting that list completed and your support- everyone who visits here is a huge part of making it happen so thanks so VERY VERY much!

    Lance- I plan on having every book in there be one that I have personally read. Somehow there is a place for me to make my own comments for each book, but I haven’t gotten that part figured out yet! Book reviews coming soon.

    Rita,

    As a life-long asthmatic, I know HOW hard it is to meet goals when you stop breathing. Nothing like no air in your lungs to re-prioritze your thoughts and goals. I am sorry you went through that this week. I am hoping for your continued improving health.

    Sean/Writer Dad,

    I am sorry to be in your spam folder! I wasn’t a bad girl Promise!
    I really believe that- If we are breathing- we can still succeed. No quitting! We might want to re-direct now and then- but no quitting!

    Reply
  9. Wendi says

    October 3, 2008 at 9:28 am

    Karen,
    LOL, Next time my holler for help will come much faster! I promise. I have a stubborn streak a mile wide. I just want to learn this stuff and it bugs me that I seem to be immune to figuring it out!
    Thanks for supporting the bookstore, I appreciate it very much!

    Melissa,
    Your faith in me is so nice…lol, now I know who to call when I am feeling hopeless! Thanks!

    Vered,

    Failure IS a stepping stone for success! I know that for a FACT. I’ve CLIMBED my way up everything I’ve done! One thing I am good at is failing! LOL!

    Reply
  10. Wendi says

    October 3, 2008 at 9:32 am

    Patricia,

    Thanks for the quote. I LOVE quotes. Nice to have you back! By the way, I have been trying to come and visit your site but my computer won’t let me access the link. Not sure why. My son was all set to be my translater too!

    Reply
  11. Urban Panther says

    October 3, 2008 at 12:20 pm

    AS LONG AS YOU ARE BREATHING, SUCCESS IS AN OPTION

    Wow..talk about Pollyanna…in an extremist sort of way *chuckle*

    Actually, I like that statement. When I can’t get something to work I yell “LION!!!!!” and he comes and calmly starts to help me, at which point I am able to figure it out myself. Generally, I just need a fresh set of eyes, or a fresh brain, to get me back on track.

    Urban Panther’s last blog post..The oh so virtuous Panther

    Reply
  12. Stacey / Create a Balance says

    October 3, 2008 at 12:51 pm

    I try to pull out as many lessons learned as possible from every “failure”. Failure is another opportunity to refocus on your dreams!

    Stacey / Create a Balance’s last blog post..Yes, Oprah Really Did Call Me

    Reply
  13. Kelly says

    October 3, 2008 at 1:33 pm

    Oh, Wendi, it turned out so nice! (I had to LOL—for a person who doesn’t like to go too heavy on the motivational stuff I sure have read a lot of those books!)

    And you got a great post out of it. That is exactly how I get through things like this. Lots of white space in my life, breathing room around the sentences of despair. You nailed and conquered the feelings, and the way you formatted the post, I felt you moving through it.

    Congratulations on successful, directed stubbornness. I’m going to be referring to this as I try to upgrade WordPress.

    Eat chocolate, and breathe, right?

    😉

    Regards,

    Kelly

    Kelly’s last blog post..Top 20 Communications Tools Your Business Needs NOW

    Reply
  14. steph says

    October 3, 2008 at 5:42 pm

    OF COURSE this particular post, which was great, spoke to me today. Was I too whiny in my own post today?? LOL! Well, anyway, point taken. And thanks.

    Going to check out your store now!

    steph’s last blog post..Push Forward or Move Ahead?

    Reply
  15. Barbara Swafford says

    October 4, 2008 at 3:48 am

    Hi Wendi – I just checked out your book “store”. It looks marvelous. Congratulations on the great addition.

    Barbara Swafford’s last blog post..Just A Click Away – Open Mic

    Reply
  16. Stacey Shipman says

    October 4, 2008 at 9:01 am

    Congratulations on your bookstore – that is a wonderful addition to the site. I agree with Stacey/Create a Balance – each failure is an opportunity to learn. Failing means you did something, tried, took a risk. That is a wonderful place to be! I’m paraphrasing this, but Thomas Edison was asked about all his failures when creating the lightbulb. His response: I didn’t fail, I now know 10,000 ways a lightbulb doesn’t work! Bouncing back/resilience requires optimism…looking to the silver lining and that is where opportunity can be found.

    Stacey Shipman’s last blog post..Peace of Mind is Not Far Now

    Reply
  17. Cath Lawson says

    October 5, 2008 at 5:23 pm

    LMAO at the finding the little yorkshire terrier within you part Wendi. But you’re right – you haven’ failed at anything until you give up.

    Cath Lawson’s last blog post..Grilled Frog On Toast Anyone?

    Reply
  18. leona says

    October 6, 2008 at 12:52 am

    Hi Wendi

    Its great to see you turn around “failure”. Failure is just a label we place on life’s way of giving us feedback and feedback is a way of collecting progressive data as a clue towards progress and an indication of how we are tracking.

    So “failure” is just a small piece of a larger piece of feedback. When we hear that inner critical voice, it is a FANTASTIC opportunity to connect to what we are aiming for in terms of values (not just strategies or goals) and grow from the experience through self-empathy.

    My life has turned around since I have started re-labelling failure and criticism as feedback and feelings as my inner compass to my greater goal of living in alignment with my deepest values.
    It is richer, more gentle – yet more energised – and more productive because now I embrace “failure” or “feedback”. It serves me rather than pulling me down.

    leona’s last blog post..5 ways to set better goals

    Reply
  19. Brett Legree says

    October 6, 2008 at 7:50 am

    I always figured when working on any task, if I haven’t broken something yet, I’m not trying hard enough!

    So keep on failing, and remember, you’re not failing, you’re just trying something different that isn’t working…

    -Brett

    Brett Legree’s last blog post..for sale: one dishwasher.

    Reply
  20. Evelyn Lim says

    October 6, 2008 at 8:55 pm

    Nice post. I also like the quote that “THEN THE ONLY PLACE TO GO IS UP”. It’s easy to wallow in self pity and not get moving. But difficult times do pass. So the best we can do for ourselves is to determine what lessons there are during times like these and recreate a BRAND NEW YOU!

    Evelyn Lim’s last blog post..What Enneagram Profile Type Am I?

    Reply
  21. Wendi says

    October 6, 2008 at 9:01 pm

    Brett,
    Hi, I thought about you when I started this. You my friend, the King of failure..Fail Often….
    Yep I DO!!! It’s SOOOOO good for you!

    Reply
  22. Jenny says

    October 10, 2008 at 9:22 am

    I would never call you a failure. You are an inspiration to a lot of people, including me! Your name and the word fail don’t seem to be able to be in a sentence together.

    There are a lot of bits in this post that I can totally put in my arsenal of having said, some as of lately, but you always inspire meto be a better person. I wish I could have a recorded message of all your positive comments to listen to when I am having a bad time, especially right now.

    Jenny’s last blog post..Moments

    Reply
  23. Rita says

    October 10, 2008 at 12:14 pm

    @ Urban Panther,

    If you believe that the desire to breathe is a “Polly Anna” philosophy, try going underwater…with weights chained around your waist and ankles. Oh – and don’t give the “lion” the key to rescue you.

    Rita

    Rita’s last blog post..The “We” of the Vi’dui – Part II

    Reply
  24. Wendi says

    October 14, 2008 at 10:00 am

    Jenny,
    Thanks. 🙂

    Rita,,

    LOL Yep, I guess breathing is rather a all encompassing need.

    Reply

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