Never Give Up: The Power Of Moving Forward
Posted by admin · 26 Comments
Last night, while I was watching the movie, “Meet The Robinsons,” there was a scene that particularly caught my attention. The main character was wondering why all the members of the Robinson family (who were all inventors) persisted on creating new inventions, even if they proved to be a tremendous failure. One of the Robinson’s promptly replied that without failure, you’d never learn whether or not something works. They refused to allow failure to stop them from moving forward with their experiments and, eventually, were able to create something that does work.
“Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
~ Walt Disney
More often than not, we prevent ourselves from trying new things–anything that is out of our *comfort zone*–because we are afraid that it will fail. Our egos try to protect us from disappointment by holding us back from taking risks. It is so much easier to just stick with what we know, rather than moving forward in curiosity and going for something that we’ve never done before.
So what happens when we decide to take that leap of faith and try something that we’ve never done before? Chances are, you may not succeed the first time–and that is ok! All too often, people take on a new idea and run with it, only to find that it did not turn out the way they expected. That is when their egos tell them “See…I told you so!” and they go back to their more *comfortable* way of life.
Rather than giving into your ego when something goes awry, just learn from your mistakes and *move forward*. You will find that through trial and error you are learning what does and does not work–this, in turn, will lead you to a more successful outcome. It may happen after a couple of tries or it may take thousands of attempts before you see any signs of success.
As Thomas Edison once put it:
“Many of life’s failures are men who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
One way to ensure a more successful outcome is by visualizing yourself completing the task and seeing it work for you. Once you feel you have seen it in your mind in full detail, then write down exactly what you visualized and take the necessary actions required to make your visualization a reality.
Just remember that the only real failure is when you stop pursuing your goals. If something doesn’t work the first time, review the process that you used to figure out where it was unsuccessful and try again. Eventually, YOU WILL achieve the success that you are striving for–it just takes time.
I would really love to know your thoughts on this, so please take a moment and leave a comment in the section below.
If you like what you’ve read, sign up for my blog and share this with all your friends on Twitter and Facebook.
Until next time…
TO YOUR SUCCESS IN HEALTH AND PROSPERITY!
Heather Taskovics
“On A Mission To Help You Achieve Success In Life”
http://heathertaskovics.net
Amanda Marie
Hi Heather, Thanks for sharing you post! It is so true that we tend to stay in our comfort zone because we fear making a mistake. True personal growth comes from stretching ourselves beyond our normal comfort level even if it means initial failure. As you so appropriated stated we should never give and keep moving forward. I enjoy reading your posts, thanks! Laura
Thanks Heather! I needed that boost today! Love it!
Melissa Mitchell´s last blog ..Personal Branding – Creating your Own Enterprise
Hey Heather! I love this blog. I now have a Gravatar because of you too!
Melissa Mitchell´s last blog ..Personal Branding – Creating your Own Enterprise
Hey Heather!
I so needed this message!
Nobody ever said stretching your comfort zone was going to be easy… and it sure isn’t! But is it worth it in the long-run? You bet!! There will definitely be times when you question yourself but the key is to just keep re-evaluating your situation and doing what you LOVE.
Thanks for sharing this!
Amanda´s last blog ..Reaction vs. Response: Don’t Be The Guy In The Big Silver Truck!
I totally agree with you Heather! As a stay at home mother of 4 small children, homeschool teacher, and business owner—my motto is from Aesop’s Fables– “Slow and Steady Wins the Race!” I have to tell myself often that, although I may not be moving fast, at least I’m moving forward! Thanks for the reminder!
Ayanna´s last blog ..Add Your Picture To Blog Comments!!
You are so right Heather. Thanks I needed to hear this again. I am still trying to get totally out of my comfort zone – a little at a time.
Donna Brogan´s last blog ..How To Grow By Taking A Risk – Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone!
Hey Heather! Spot on and although I am still scared of getting out of my comfort zone with my biggest fears (heights, jumping out of planes, jumping off bridges, a.k.a absurd crazy stuff) I’m really trying to do everything with my business that I normally would.
If I fear it, I do it. I think it’s the only way to conquer fears and get pushed out of your comfort zone.
George Fourie´s last blog ..Video Blog Tools: 5 Gadgets You Simply Can’t Do Without [Video]
Great Heather. I remember hearing a story about a blind guy who climbed Mount Everest.
Talk about having to move forward when you’re walking in the dark!
Great observations here Heather.
Glenn
Hi Heather,
This is great info. One of the things I often say to my coaching clients is “You have to get comfortable… being uncomfortable.”
It is truly in those challenging time that we grow the most and we see things and think things for the every first time.
That’s powerful.
Keep up the great work Heather. I appreciate your leadership.
You have a choice so, make it a better than terrific day!
Terry
Terry Petrovick´s last blog ..Ranking Highly In The Search Engines Is Vital To Succeeding Online
This was GREAT Heather! I LOVED the reference to “Meet the Robinsons!” hahaha… lots of great moments in that movie
I recently learned about a VERY popular family spot called “Enchanted Forest” here in Oregon— one of the COOLEST fun parks in the Pacific NW actually!! The guy who started it was called an idiot for buying the land and trying to create this place for families. He was jeweler so he had to work part-time on the project. He stuck w/ it and I’m AMAZED to think that had he to persisted, against his own hard times and against others telling him he was crazy… we would not have the INCREDIBLE place to go take our families to. So again, GREAT article— thanks!!!
Great post! I like how your mind works, Heather! I, too, often find deep, meaningful “truths” in movies.
While overall I agree with you insights, I’d like to offer my own slightly different perspective on some of your observations:
1. Comfort Zones are often not all that “comfortable”. A better term might be Familiar Zones. What is familiar is like home. It’s where people usually like to go and return to – especially when they are tired and/or just want to relax and be less “conscious” for a while. What we consider home is in many ways just a habit. Much of what we think, say, and do in life is essentially unconscious habits – that too often keep us from discovering (or inventing) some kind of success. Moving (forward) out of Familiar Zones is one of the best ways to expand where we feel comfortable and at home. So why don’t we do it?
2. I think it’s less fear of failure (or even fear of the unknown) than fear of getting hurt (and not being able to handle it) that stops most people (from moving forward – toward their goals and/or fulfilling their “potential”). Avoiding pain is often said to be a more powerful and prevalent “motivator” than moving toward pleasure. The more or worse most people have been hurt the more risk adverse they often become. This often affects and permeates every aspect (and relationship) of people’s lives – without them even being aware of it.
Forget broken hearts and shattered dreams for a moment and consider something far simpler and more basic. Unlike babies, who just plop down when they are unsteady, most adults lean ever so slightly back when they stand, walk, and run (resulting most noticeably in the heals of their feet striking the ground first and their toes not being relaxed enough to wiggle) – as a result of being afraid to simply allow themselves to fall forward (and gently allow their feet to propel them in the direction they desire to go). A good marathon runner can easily cover 26 miles in 2 hours and not be tired simply by not stopping the forward momentum of their fall (unlike the majority of runners – who take considerably longer, arrive exhausted, get hurt, drop out, or don’t even attempt to go the distance).
3. Stopping does not necessarily indicate “failure” – IF one eventually resumes. It may even be necessary or beneficial to stop sometimes. It’s never continuing that ends the opportunity for eventual “success”. For someone to do something long enough and/or enough times to produce desired results, it really helps to believe that is possible (for them to succeed and get what they want) – in spite of current evidence to the contrary. Whether it’s faith, confidence, patience, stubbornness, determination, being crazy, or just not knowing any better probably doesn’t matter as much as just not accepting “failure” (or results other than those desired) as being permanent and final. Until one has given up and does no more, there is still a chance for “success”. It’s not falling or getting knocked down that matters as much as not getting back up.
Babies fall more times while learning to stand and walk than most people do in anything else for the rest of their lives. Surprisingly, babies seldom, if ever, seem discouraged or deterred by their (temporary “failure” of) falling. Perhaps like elite marathon runners we might reach our goals faster and with more ease and less effort if we allowed ourselves to simply fall in the direction we’d like to go and allowed our feet to take us there. Not a runner? Doesn’t matter. Be like the Robinsons. Experiment with what works for YOU. It’s not only okay, but probably a good idea, to stop occasionally (and smell the roses), just don’t give up – especially on yourself!
Oren Pardes´s last blog ..The Difference Between Veterans Day and Memorial Day
Hey Heather,
This subject is one of the most important that we need to understand. There are so many people who are crushed by failure, to the point where they never take another chance.
Throughout history there have been so many great leaders who were miserable failures before achieving tremendous success, including Henry Ford, Walt Disney, and Abraham Lincoln. Where would the world be today if they had’n't met each failure with heightened resolve to create success?
This is the first lesson we need to understand as entrepreneurs. Almost nobody “gets it right” the first time around. Each failure is a stepping stone to something better, and when we keep on keeping on we eventually will be not only successful, but stronger in spirit as well.
Great post….and BTW, I heard the guy Glenn referred to speak (despite being blind he climed Mt. Everest)….amazing story!
Keep the great stuff coming my friend!
Kathy
Kathy Jodrey´s last blog ..Search Engine Ranking Improvement Series – Part 1: Keywords
I think most people make the mistake of selecting a path for achieving their goals and then, if that path doesn’t get them the result they want, assume that success is not possible. What they should be doing is trying to find a different path.
Its the difference between banging your head against the wall, or going around it. Failure simply cannot withstand persistence.
Jason Kerchner´s last blog ..Why Your Prospect Doesn’t REALLY Want Money
WOW!
Thanks so much for all your support, everyone!
Oren: Thank you for the additional insights. I recently heard Tony Robbins orate something not unlike what you’ve expressed. Great minds think alike, it seems.
Thanks again, my dear friends.
“If at first you don’t succeed… you’ll appreciate it more when you do!” ~ Oren Pardes
You got me curious, Heather. What did Tony say (that was not unlike what I expressed)?
Oren Pardes´s last blog ..Are you insane or just crazy (enough to succeed)?
Oren: I was thinking more along the lines of what you were stating in #2. Tony Robbins pretty much says the same thing when it comes to FEAR and avoiding pain…and even gives a similar baby-learning-to-walk reference.
I’ve been listening to his *Ultimate Edge* CDs…amazingly powerful stuff! I highly recommend that everyone buy/borrow this CD series.
When it comes to being successful, most people to move forward with their past failures. They continue to dwell on the past and never make a solid attempt to progress further with their life. Until we can move on from our failures, we will continue to go in circles, searching for direction
Donny Gamble´s last blog ..When Dreaming is Just Not Enough
Thanks, Heather! I really needed those words of encouragement! Saint Francis of Assisi once said, “Start by doing what’s necessary, then do what’s possible; and suddenly, you’re doing the impossible.”
Great post and i cant wait to read more!
Not only, does the person who wants to grow and learn, face their own obstacles. Unfortunately, onlookers sometimes have a tendency to tell the one who is trying to learn new things that they shouldn’t waste there time because they will ultimately fail. Thanks for posting this, Heather. It is a great reminder that we are on the right path.
Never lose hope or never give Up! Take a steps-look forward! Some of the things here on earth makes you down and makes you feel alone. But the thing is GO on with your life even if your lossing hope.
donny gamble´s last blog ..MLM Syndication Sunday (Week 5)
I like posts about movies. This reminded me of a blog post I saw about the movie Yes Man. After that I went and got the movie and it was a lot of fun and it also taught about life. One of the points of it was to say yes to life.
Hey Great Post Heather…I too love Thomas Edison. I believe he failed thousands of times and yet still went on to make one of the greatest discoveries ever…just awesome!
Bruce Backman´s last blog ..Why I Don’t Use Ice for Healing Injuries…
Hi Heather,
Failure is just another step away from success, as long as you’re not stopping making the step forward.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday.
See you around.
lunaticg´s last blog ..Merry Christmas Everyone
Great post Heather,
Love the insights from Thomas Edison regarding failure.
Most of us are so close to success when we give up. If we just had something that would tell us that we are sometimes LOL!
Determination and definiteness of purpose and a clear vision of what you want to achieve will make you unstoppable.
Make it a great day!
God Bless,
-ed
Hi Heather,
Your post is really helpful for me today! I am an attorney and I stopped practicing law to do internet marketing. Lately, the thought has been creeping into my head that I need to go back to being an attorney. Hard one to resist!
Your post helps me to realize that I need to stay the course!
Thanks!
Nancy
“Mentor Mama”
Nancy Burke Barr´s last blog ..Who’s YOUR Mama?