Have you ever wanted to try something new, but felt unsure, so you opted to not even try? Were you so afraid of failure that you let your insecurities win out?
Have you ever wanted to try something new, but felt unsure, so you opted to not even try? Were you so afraid of failure that you let your insecurities win out? Maybe it was trying out for a team, applying for a dream job, auditioning for a play or a band. Have you ever thought to yourself “If I don’t try then I won’t fail?” The reality is that if you don’t try you’ll never succeed! You may not make that team, get the part you want in a play or the dream job, but I guarantee that you’ll learn something very valuable from the experience.
What might you learn from the experience of simply trying? You might learn what an audition, or a team tryout actually looks like. You might learn what skills you could improve on to increase your chance of making that team, or getting that role the next time. You might learn that even though you thought this was what you wanted, perhaps it’s not what you thought it was and you’re better off doing something different. No matter what, you will learn, and learning is always success, not failure. Of all the lessons that you learn from the act of trying, the most important lessons are what you learn about yourself. Every single one of us is a work in progress, and the only way we’ll ever grow is by making the most of every opportunity to learn.
Learning from the uncomfortable
I bet that you are stronger and more capable than you think. We get comfortable with our day to day activities, sometimes putting yourself in a new, uncomfortable position is exactly what you need to do in order to remind yourself of what you’re made of. Taking chances is invigorating, what doesn’t love a dose of that every now and then?
Handling disappointment
Being able to handle disappointment is a gift. You might have to face some hard truths: maybe you didn’t try hard enough, or you need to work on improving certain skills like time management, and focus. Maybe you need to work on your organizational skills. These are life skills and if you improve your life skills you’ll improve many aspects of your life.
The value of hard work
Sometimes hard work pays off like you expect it to, other times the payoff is hiding in the weeds of the work, and you aren’t even aware of it until it smacks you in the face. One thing is for sure though, if you try to take the easy way out, you only end up cheating yourself out of the opportunity to grow and learn. Take time to do things the right way, and be methodical and intentional with your actions.
Play the long game
If something is really important to you, let it play out. We live in an instant gratification society, significant and valuable parts of your life are worth your time and effort and PATIENCE! The long game is buildable, one step then another, then another. The lead role, a dream job, or a spot on an elite team may be your goal, but achieving that goal doesn’t happen without putting in the hours of work and taking the necessary steps to prepare yourself for where you want to end up.
Be adaptable
Things don’t always go the way you think they will, be open to taking detours. Try not to be so fixated on the end result that you end up missing opportunities that come up along your journey.
The Important life lessons found in difficult, scary, or nerve wracking experiences are the ones that build true character. Be bold, take a chance, you may not get the outcome you were originally aiming for, but you will most definitely gain very valuable lessons about growth and yourself.
