What is failure? Apart from a word none of us like hearing or thinking about!
Failure: The condition or fact of not achieving the desired end or ends!
Well okay, that doesn’t sound so bad. But it’s how we feel about it that can create havoc with our lives. Not the act of failing in and of itself.
I failed in my first business (financially a huge mess). When I mentioned this to another entrepreneur, at the time, he said to me, “you didn’t fail“!
And I said, “Well if you don’t count closing your business doors, owing a ton of money to a lot of people a failure … what do you call it?”
And he said, “Taking risks while you learn how to do something the right way.” Just so you know, at the time I strongly disagreed with him. I was the one that had to figure out what to do next. I was a single parent 
with no income, ruined credit and lots of bills to pay.
But guess what? he was right. When I creatively (and hurriedly) came up with a short term financial solution (got a job), spoke with each of the creditors and made the best arrangements I could at the time (and asked for short term help from my family – that was the hardest thing of 
all!) I got by.
Within a year. I had put together another proposal, went after more financing and was in business again.
So I advise you to look carefully at the actual meaning of the word failure. Because it isn’t the end of everything. That only happens when you give up. As long as you keep trying, you haven’t failed at all, you’re still in your learning curve!
“Consider failure as a temporary setback, the price you pay to learn until you get it right!” ~ Penny L Howe, 2013
The Why About This 
Great post and wonderful ending quote Penny. For me, failure would be looking back on my life not having lived it, just allowing time and space to carry me along, without breathing in all the experiences along the way.
Indeed LuAnn. I agree, breathing in (metaphorically speaking) life so important, it’s the ‘what to filter out’ as we inhale that seems to get us, my dear friend!
This sounds very encouraging and yes there will always be opportunities to get out of the rut, but believing is the first step. I know how it is too, not eraing much and balancing everything with 2 boys. Luckily they are so supportive I am able to manage well now. Changing my view towards money also helped.
Good for you Ute, it can be very hard but you’ve got the right idea, exactly so, dear friend! 🙂 xx
Reblogged this on Icanbeatit.
Wonderful post! There are no mistakes and there is no failure. There is learning the lesson and growth from that lesson! Hugs – B
Hi Barb, thank you, hugs dear friend and an excellent weekend ahead! 🙂 xx
Back at you!
AnElephantCant say he’s a failure
Though he has made a boo boo or two
But he listens again
To what Penny is saying
He knows she is right so he says Thank you
Thank you, in return! 🙂 xo
Thomas Edison said that an experimental design never failed, he simply discovered another way it wouldn’t work. Great post, Penny!
Thank you. Yes I think I’ve read 100 or more books on the same theme. The points being made are universal ones, yet only a few will get the message, or take it to heart!
That’s for sure. 🙂
I love this!! yet another example in how one frames things isn’t it? you can choose to feel like a failure or you can look for the silver lining so to speak and see what there is to learn. I have one financial challenge after another it seems and at times I do feel like a failure in that regard. but I keep coming back to this “I haven’t failed yet and things always seem to work out…somehow, despite my worries!” So, thanks for another reminder.
You are very welcome, thank you. I go through those stages myself. I tell people I have pity parties for myself when things go wrong sometimes, but they never last long because I’m the only one there (lol), so I move on to a better place! 🙂
Awesome and inspirational post, Penny, and I’m glad your story had a happy ending. There will always be things we’ll have to do in life that aren’t so pleasant, such as asking family for help. But, isn’t that what family is for? To help each other and be there for us in whatever way they can be? Well, that’s how I believe and obviously, your family did, too! Anyway, thanks for the inspiration. It’s all in the “trying” that helps us grow! Have a great Friday tomorrow! xx
Hi Lauren, thank you, so much. Yes that is what family is lovingly for. Been totally backed up with real time projects(offline, lol) hopeful time will free up soon. Involved with a couple of community type things here! You have an excellent weekend, I’m going to spend a little time at the river and then actually try to catch up on visiting online. Hope your weekend is relaxing for you also dear friend! xx
Carrying on at all is success. In my humble opinion. No matter the perceived failures, pressing on, pressing on is the essence and meaning of life to me.
Yes, exactly so. You summarize it best of all!
Awwww, thank you! 😀 Just saying what I think aloud.
Still true! 🙂
🙂
Dear Penny – this is a beautiful truth that you put together fabulously well. Keep shining friend!
Hi Wiley and bestest mom ever! Thank you very much, and all of you guys also! 🙂 xx
🙂 Thanks friend.
L’ha ribloggato su CLANIMAe ha commentato:
Da meditare profondamente!!!
I once heard a speaker of an inspiration kind say that through suffering we grow. And he was right. It’s dealing with the initial pain/sense of failure that holds you back for a while.
But as we are all still here we have managed to find strategies to cope with life’s setbacks.
Have a good weekend Penny, or is it still Thursday at your place? Friday am here.
Still Thursday here, almost evening now, thank you Michael. Do enjoy your weekend, I have a smidgen longer to wait, lol!
So, guess what I’m reading (extremely slowly!)…
😉
Happy Thursday, my friend!
xxxxxxxx (lots)
What? 🙂 Happy Thursday Marina, I do wish we were within a cup of coffee reach, sigh, but hugs and well wishes also work wonders, something you accomplish everyday with your talent and your attitude, no failures there anywhere … 🙂 xoxoxo
That would be nice indeed… I actually think we are!
Ah, but failures are learning! I am so grateful for every single one of them! As for the book… the cover has this cute butterfly and it’s written by this wonderful friend I know! 😉
Well now I don’t know what to say at all, except thank you and I hope it’s an enjoyable read for you dear friend! 🙂
I know it is before I even start!!!!
🙂
🙂 xx
Ambition is the last refuge of the failure.
~Oscar wilde.
Food for thought. 🙂
I sure hope my reading this post isn’t foreshadowing my latest business venture/event coming up next week. I have a lot of mixed feelings/fears/doubts rising up about it!
Thanks for the positive message. I hope I’ll be able to stay positive no matter what happens! Best to you!!
Hang on, hang in there. Those feelings are very normal – the jittery ones! Keep your eyes and ears open for opportunities (your main focus during the even – it also helps relieve some of the nervousness, I find, lol) Good luck, you’ll do great!!!!!!
I meant to say “the event” not the even – sorry about that! 🙂