Live Like the Honey Badger: Principle 8

This is the eighth in a series of posts entitled, Live Like the Honey Badger. On Fridays, I address one aspect of developing confidence, self-worth, a fearless nature and the like. Previous weeks are linked below.

Principle 1: Honey Badger Don't Care
Principle 2: Accept Yourself. Your Whole Self
Principle 3: Surround Yourself With Honey Badgers
Principle 4: Break the Mold
Principle 5: It's Not Selfish. It's Self Fulfilling 
Principle 6: It's Your Life. Take Responsibility
Principle 7: Find Your Strengths and Play to Them

Principle 8: Embrace Failure

I know this might be hard to believe, but I am not perfect.

I make mistakes.
I stumble.
I fail.

Sometimes, things are so catastrophic that I don't know how I am going to pick up the pieces and move on. In those moments, it would be easier to quit, to believe that I'll never be enough, to just stop trying.

But, then I remember that taking the easy way out is just a quick fix. No one ever got to where they wanted to be by following that path. And if you take the easy way out often enough, you'll be left unfulfilled, complacent and questioning why everyone else is so much better off than you are.

So, instead giving up, I dust myself off and try again. Maybe I change my methods or tactics, but I don't let my mistakes and failures define me. I embrace those missteps and use them to push me forward. I don't let them limit me, instead, I trust that what happens in a single moment is not an accurate reflection of who I am as a whole.

I am not my past and I will not let it hold me back.

Unfortunately, some people will. 

As a society, we need to realize that failures are just as important as successes and there is no shame in losing. Learning to overcome hardship is a valuable lesson that will get you a lot further than being number one or meeting all of your goals. Let's face it, there can only be one winner and some days, in fact, most days, it's not going to be you. That doesn't mean there isn't value in all that you do.

An accomplishment is an accomplishment no matter how small. And within every failure, there is something to be learned. You just need to frame it in the proper context.

Embrace failure. Chances are it's the stepping stone to your greatest success.