Be Brave, Be Bold and Fail Often
From Edison’s 10,000 attempts to create a light bulb, to Dyson’s 5,126 attempts to invent a bag less vacuum cleaner – whether we like it or not, failure is a necessary stepping stone to achieving our dreams.
The best way to approach life is bravely and boldly. Take those risks, jump in, whole heartedly. It’s the only way you’ll ever come close to achieving the things you really want to. At times, we are all guilty of making mountains out of molehills – building things up in our minds and sensationalising outcomes. It’s human nature, but it doesn’t have to stop you from trying.
Let’s look at a few ways to help you start thinking more bravely.
Be terrified of something:
You’ve got two options, one is to be terrified of something and do it anyway, in other words go for it despite the risk involved. If you do fail, the second-time round you’ll be less terrified and will have most likely learnt from your mistakes. The other option is to be terrified of something, do absolutely nothing and remain terrified. A no-brainer really isn’t it?
“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” – Robert F. Kennedy
Use your emotions:
Emotion is difficult to explain. It’s a feeling. It can arrive unannounced and devour us. What we need to try and do is channel it. Use it as a tool. Anger or fear can be an unrivalled form of adrenaline. Pump yourself up. When that fear comes creeping in, use it a secret power. What is the worst than can possibly happen? I’m certain it won’t be as bad as you never trying to achieve your dream in the first place. That longing will never go away and you’ll be left wondering ‘what if’. Channel these thoughts and use them in a positive way to drive you towards your goal.
“No human ever became interesting by not failing. The more you fail and recover and improve, the better you are as a person. Ever meet someone who’s always had everything work out for them with zero struggle? They usually have the depth of a puddle. Or they don’t exist.” – Chris Hardwick
Look back on your triumphs:
Regardless of how old you are or where you are in life, look back at all the moments where you were successful. Did those victories come for free? Did you just suddenly stumble upon them? The chances are, you took a risk or wore your heart on your sleeve. When you’re feeling overwhelmed by fear or doubt, look back on those moments and bask in the way you felt – use that as motivation and a way of building yourself up.
“Success is most often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.” – Coco Chanel
Ask for support:
A lot of us are afraid of asking for help. Most successful people who have lived an amazing life and stepped out of their comfort zones were brave enough to ask for help along the way. The old saying goes; no man is an island. There’s no point in struggling alone. In order for us to thrive, we must seek the advice and guidance of others and when called upon, give to others as much as we can.
Join the Spark community today for tips, tools, education and support. We promise it’s all killer, no filler.