The “Coat and Shirt” Approach to Life
I’m watching the NBA All Star Game, and I can only think of Michael Jordan. The NBA’s greatest.
Then I remembered a Nike Commercial with Michael Jordan, that I have bookmarked on my browser.
Jordan’s quoted:
“I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Failure is part of success. Plain and simple. Successful people aren’t afraid to fail. That’s why they do, and that is why they succeed.
I heard this quote before and I’m not sure who said it, but I absolutely love it: “The man that never made a mistake, never made anything.”
This resonated with me, as I look back on the path that has lead me to where I am today. Everything was not perfect. Everything did not turn out exactly how I had planned it. I’ve hit some struggles. I battled. I’ve tossed and turned in my bed some nights.
Then I then I started thinking about failure a more closely. I looked back on what I’ve read.
Then I realized, Jordan and an author I love, Napoleon Hill, have something in common.
Napoleon wrote the book World famous book Think and Grow Rich in the early 1900’s. This is one of the best selling books in history and is the standard personal development and mind-training book to attract money, and anything else in your life. Napoleon interviewed the most successful people in the World.
Not many people know there is another book Napoleon Hill wrote before he wrote Think and Grow Rich. This book is called The Law of Success. This a 600 plus page book with 16 lessons on success. Think and Grow Rich came from and was modified from The Law of Success.
Point 1: Read both books
Point 2: The Law of Success has 16 chapters/lessons. One of them is on FAILURE.
Yes, The Law of Success is about Napoleon Hill interviewing the most powerful people in the World and how they think, and act. These people were Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, William Wriggly, Harvey Firestone, Charles Swabb, Andrew Carnegie, just to name a few.
And I will rebroadcast: There is a chapter/lesson in The Law of Success on FAILURE.
Napoleon Hill talks about the difference between failure, and temporary defeat. He states there are no failures, only temporary defeats. And if you recognize this, it can change you perspective on failure.
Every failure gets you closer and closer to a success.
Mark Cuban, always encourages entrepreneurs by saying, “You only have to succeed once.” Succeeding once, happens amidst many temporary defeats.
If you understand this, you will become impervious to failure, and you will succeed.
A very close friend, and mentor of mine, Kent Clothier preaches is this all the time. He has said on multiple occasions to me, as well as his students – “Expect to succeed, but be willing to fail.” He has also made another great point saying, “Successful people fear regret, more than they fear failure.” They fear the idea of NOT doing something, or not going after that dream. That is there motivation. They don’t fear failing, or criticism, or success. They fear regret.
What fear is holding you back? What are you holding back from because of the thought of failure?
Follow the law. The law that failure is PART OF SUCCESS.
Follow and model what successful people have done.
Above all:
Act in spite of fear.
Joseph Metcalfe-
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