“These kids have to learn that they can fail. The problem is, they have never been allowed to fail.” Dr. Hellack, one of the best teachers and leaders I have ever known, said that. She believes that by letting students fail at some things you allow them to succeed at others; a philosophy that I whole heartedly agree with. Here are a few reasons why:
Being allowed to fail alleviates anxiety about the future. Haven’t we all heard those stories about a person who seems so perfect and successful on the outside but tragically takes their own life because of one big failure? If they only would have known that failure was an option. Not the best option, obviously, but something that could be accepted and recovered from.
Being allowed to fail teaches responsibility. I think many would agree that children are becoming incredibly spoiled these days. In schools problem children seem to be passed around. Rarely is a teacher willing to do the hard work of fixing the problem and they shouldn’t have to. Parents must be willing to set higher standards of behavior at home. If a child misbehaves, there should be consequences. A child needs to see that their actions have results in the real world. You are responsible for your life- failure is a part of life.
Being allowed to fail makes success greater. This goes hand in hand with the point before. If you are taught that your actions have the power to generate failure, the other side of the coin is that they also have the power to generate success. This is a success you can own. It is yours and yours alone.
Finally, being allowed to fail closes doors. “When one door closes, another one opens,” but what if no doors ever close? It can be overwhelming. No one person can be good at everything, and no one person should expect them to be. If we coddle others into believing that they are good at everything they will strive for nothing.
Do you agree? Disagree? I think I have been fearing failure for too long. Here are a few quotes that I find interesting:
“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”
Winston Churchill
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
Winston Churchill
“My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure. “
Abraham Lincoln
“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”
Michael Jordan
“Failure is a detour, not a dead-end street.”
Zig Ziglar
“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”
Henry Ford
“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”
Colin Powell
Golden boy, why are you stalling?
We both know you ought to be falling
Hard in love or at least breakin’ even
By now.
This time tomorrow you’ll wake up late
Another day and another date
With destiny.
Will she be the one?
And you wonder
Could she be the girl you’ve waited for
Since you were seven
Teen.
Yeah yeah, boy gotta get up and live your life
To make your light the only one she sees.
In the night
The only one she reaches for.
Come on, boy! Get this one right.
Get this one right.
Walk fast, walk past, walk in between
The lines that were drawn
‘Cuz Your reality is awakening.
Get it right. Get it right.
Hey, look! now she’s by your side.
And she’s awakening.
I am lazy.
I am smart, but I am lazy.
I have relied on being smart to make good grades which I can easily do an a quiz or an exam, but when I get home I need some “me” time.
None of this homework nonsense.
For instance, I could get caught up on reading right now, but what am I more likely to do? Curl up in a snuggie covered ball and watch LOTR…again.
Shoots. I need to make better grades, yall!
I am way too busy this semester. I do not have nearly as much time to procratinate as I used to.
When we took a trip to Memphis Kasey’s uncle took us to all local eateries. The man does not go for a chain, EVER! It was such a delicious and fun experience and it really got me to thinking about investing in local eateries and businesses. I love this concept as explained by Judy Wicks:
“The Local Living Economies Movement is about:
Maximizing relationships, not maximizing profits,
Growth of consciousness, not materialism,
Democracy and decentralized ownership, not concentrated wealth,
A living return, not the highest return,
A fair price, not the lowest price,
A living wage, not the minimum wage,
Sharing, not hoarding,
Simplicity, not gluttony,
Life serving, not self-serving,
Partnership, not domination,
Cooperation based, not competition based,
Win-win exchange, not win-loose exploitation,
Family farms, not factory farms,
Bio-diversity, not monocrops,
Cultural diversity, not monoculture,
Creativity, not conformity,
Slow food, not fast food,
Our bucks, not Starbucks,
Our mart, not Wal-Mart,
Valuing life, over life-style,
And as the Earth Charter says,
“Being more, not having more.””
“I repeat we would not part if we didn’t have to. Haven’t we forgiven each other’s faults time after time, and made it up again? We know each other so well that we can see no evil in each other. Is it love? I do not know,but there is something between us that cannot be undone.” -Van Gogh
^^^^ the inspiration^^^^
vvv behind the poem vvv
The Fault Line:
Where does it lie
between yours and mine?
It is so faint now
Like evening’s last breath.
One lingering golden ray
That takes its hold.
Plants the roots of hope
In a barren land.
I do not know if love,
but if I do it is forever.
And cannot be undone.
Roses and Honey
Lace and bees
Leather bound books
Shady maple trees
Telescopic eyes
Cream and sugar tea
Gauzy dreams
Boats on a watercolor sea
This is how it feels to be painted me.
Please excuse the language, dear friends. Those are some Feist lyrics for ya. Feist gets me right now.
Do you know those people that you just want to shake and say “GROW UP AND DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR LIFE!!!”
Maybe it’s just because I’m tired of feeling responsible for people who don’t even care about themselves…or that care WAAAAAY too much about themselves and only keep in touch when they need something. ya dig?
My only hope for my friends is that they would grow to be joyful, fulfilled people who LOVE the life God has given them.
Buuuut since I can’t always be there to take care of you (like you know I want to be) please take time to take yourself and your future seriously, get up off your depressed butt, and change the world!
I know I should be doing homework, but I just HAD to take this Love Languages Quiz. Here are my results:
10 Words of Affirmation; 9 Quality Time; 4 Receiving Gifts; 1 Acts of Service; 6 Physical Touch
Your Love Language
Words of Affirmation
Actions don’t always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, “I love you,” are important—hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten.
Pretty interesting, huh? I think it really says a lot about me and why I choose certain people to be around me. The highest score you could get in a section is 12, so that helps give things some perspective.
I need a lot of affirmation, and enjoy spending meaningful time spent with those I care about (maybe even some snuggeling). It’s not as important to me if you buy my things or will go out of your way to do something for me…just be encouraging and supportive and let ME serve YOU!
It was also interesting to me to see that my two lowest scores are two of the greatest ways that I show love to others (I truly cherish gift giving and service to others). I guess opposites really do attract!
Take the quiz for yourself and let me know what you got!
http://www.5lovelanguages.com/assessments/love/
Today I:
- Determined that I did in fact lose my GPS.
-Locked my keys in the car
-Wore 2 different kinds of shoes on accident
and…
“Liz: Why is there a pair of your shorts under the sink?
Me: huh?
Liz: In with the towels that YOU obviously folded there is a pair of shorts.
Me: I put my shorts under the sink?
Liz: Apparently.
Me: oh no! I really am going crazy!”
