“A man is great not because he hasn`t failed; a man is great because failure hasn`t stopped him.” – Confucius.
In last week`s ATM [A Teaching Monday], using the simple and sticky “LEVERAGE” acronym, we highlighted four more alphabets in the acronym [V, E, R & A]. You can check out last week`s teaching for a full explanation. Here are the last two of the alphabets in the acronym, LEVERAGE [G & E], and the concluding part of this teaching.
Grasp opportunities within obstacles:
Every obstacle is a hidden opportunity waiting to be uncovered. Instead of seeing challenges as insurmountable barriers, see them as fertile ground for innovation and growth. In the heart of adversity, there lies the seed of opportunity. Grasp it with both hands and watch as it blooms into something beautiful. Albert Einstein said, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
Best-selling author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey said, “Effective people are not problem-minded: they’re opportunity-minded. They feed opportunities and starve problems.” What you behold is what you become. To successfully leverage failure to your maximum advantage, you must see beyond the obstacles and choose to focus on the opportunities in it.
American industrialist and engineer best known as the founder of Ford Motor, Henry Ford said, “Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.” And no one can see failure as an obstacle and be inspired to leverage it, you must see more to be more, that is, see more than the obstacles and visualize the opportunities to actualize the possibilities!
Empower yourself through perseverance:
Perseverance is the fuel that propels us forward when the road ahead seems endless. It’s the unwavering belief in our ability to overcome, to endure, and to triumph. In the face of setbacks, let perseverance be your guiding light, illuminating the path to success with unwavering determination.
Polish-French physicist, chemist, the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the first person to win a Nobel Prize twice, and the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two scientific fields, Marie Curie said this about perseverance: “Life is not easy for any of us. But what about that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted with something and that this thing must be attained.” Mindset truly is what separates the best from the rest. A mindset of perseverance sees failure as a lemon that can be turned into a sweet lemonade!
American entrepreneur, Victor Kiam said, “Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage.” When you successfully leverage failure, you are sure to get out of the average people pile who only sees failure as a roadblock. Life has no remote. Get up and leverage your failure to your maximum advantage. This is not a transferable obligation; it is a DIY – Do It Yourself!
