Don’t expect success if you don’t “embrace the suck”.
That is a hard concept for many people. Why would you continue an activity, sport, or career if you aren’t good at it from the beginning?
Let’s turn that question around, why wouldn’t you work harder at that task if you suck at it in the beginning?
The “suck” is a collection of mistakes, fallings, failings, misses, blunders, and slip-ups. All those wonderful screw-ups lead to improving and honing your skills if you embrace and learn from those missed attempts.
Do you remember when you first tried to walk? (Probably not, but go with me on this one)…You sucked at it. You were a wobbling disaster falling down countless times throughout the days. It was practically embarrassing how often you went crashing to the ground. You could barely pick yourself up off the ground. You totally sucked at walking.
And remember when you first tried to hit a ball with a bat? You sucked. You had that big blue bat that looked like a Fred Flintstone T-Rex drumstick. The ball was as big as a bowling ball and you still couldn’t hit it. Holy Cow, you sucked.
How about when you first used scissors? You sucked at cutting. Everything you cut looked like an icosagon (that’s a twenty-sided polygon, I looked it up). You sucked at cutting with scissors.
Look at you now… You are a walking, paper-cutting ninja who can occasionally hit a ball with a bat.
The point is you can’t succeed without faltering, flailing and failing first. Mastery requires suck. Mastery requires failure but you can’t let the “suck” stop you in your tracks. You can’t allow the “suck” to force you to quit. You gotta get after it, then get after it again. After numerous attempts, you start to develop the skills necessary to advance and improve.
Only you can stop you, so don’t be the reason that you fall short of excellence. Ditch the bitching and move onward and forward.
The true determinant of success is to keep plugging along with persistence and determination.
How to Persist Past Failure:
Respond to failure with a positive mindset and productive action.
· If you are cut from your freshman high-school soccer team, persist - Work harder on your ball control skills at home, improve your conditioning by going for long runs on the weekend, or hire a private coach to assist you with taking your game to the next level.
· If your business is struggling, persist - Find new ways to connect with potential clients, create unique marketing strategies, or solicit the help of family and friends to build a larger client base.
· If you are having difficulty finding a job, persist - Take classes at a local community college to broaden your skills, expand your job search, or explore a career change.
Of course, it hurts when you slip up. It’s okay to be angry or upset. The key is don’t allow the “suck” to keep you stuck.
Nothing can stop you… oh, wait a second… You can.
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