Why Failure Shouldn't Scare You
Here's the deal, people.
My name is Hayley, and I am a perfectionist.
From a young age, I LIVED to do everything perfectly. School, dance, singing, GRAMMAR (my one true love). If you think I'm exaggerating, let's rewind back to fourth grade, when I cried at my desk for 15 minutes on a 5 question quiz because I forgot the capital of Tennessee (in case you are wondering, yes, it's NASHVILLE). So let's just say, since a young age, I have strived to be the best in everything that I do.
Here's the problem though.
You CAN'T BE PERFECT ALL THE TIME.
It's actually impossible. Unless you are God - then you've got that covered.
We all have to learn. And when we learn, WE. WILL. MAKE. MISTAKES.
Like learning how to play the piano. You are not going to sit down and suddenly be able to play Bach's Prelude in C Major (if you can, go on America's Got Talent IMMEDIATELY). You are probably going to try a C Major chord and end up hitting 2 out of 3 notes wrong. And you'll do that same thing again 10 years into playing piano. Will you let that discourage you from playing the piano? NO. You are going to sit back down and try it again.... and again... and possibly take a break.... but you will continue playing.
So why you so afraid at failing at other things in life? Like pursuing a passion of yours, or getting a new job, or trying out for a worship team?
So what, you make a mistake. You say something wrong, you embarrass yourself, you get rejected by someone. YES, it hurts. But your value is not determined on that one circumstance. You have lived through many, many other triumphant, joyful moments - don't discount those because of one negative source of feedback.
I experienced this myself recently. This upcoming summer of 2017, I actually have NO WEDDINGS booked to photograph. Which is sometimes really scary and, quite honestly, embarrassing to admit (flashback to fourth grade perfectionist Hayley - probably erased and retyped this a few times). I did receive a few inquiries, but I had to turn them down because of my own wedding in June. I want SO BADLY to just jump into this photography world and have people knocking at my door, but my current work/investment has not been able to achieve that. So when I faced the empty summer, I got scared and wanted to run. I asked myself (and God - and other people) if this was truly what I was meant to do. If I was meant to be a wedding photographer, it would be happening now, right????
WRONG.
I'd like to take one of my favorite stories and explain why this is wrong. And I can sum it up in 2 words.
Michael. Jordan.
For those of you that don't know, Michael Jordan, yes, QUITE POSSIBLY ONE OF THE GREATEST BASKETBALL PLAYERS OF ALL TIME, did not make his varsity basketball team his sophomore year of high school.
Now, he didn't say, "Well, this must just not be for me. I've worked hard, and it obviously hasn't paid off. Maybe it's time to try something new." NO. He worked even harder. And you all know where that eventually got him. The lead role in Space Jam (okay, I'm kidding on that one... kind of).
So, I have stood back up - with the loving support and affirmation of my family, friends, fiancé, and ever-loving God. And I'm going to KEEP TRYING - and I won't be so dependent on instant success. Instead, I'll focus on working hard, learning from my failures, and growing so that when I do get the opportunity, I can fully serve my clients to the best of my ability.
And the fear of failure is REAL - but it also helps you know that you really care. And if you care that much, then you should GO FOR IT. If you fall, it is OKAY. You can get back up again and keep trying. Maybe one day, you'll be the next Mozart or Michael Jordan. Either way, you won't have to live with the regret and wonder of not committing to something.
Like this post/need more inspiration?? Watch this clip below - seriously, one of my favs:
https://youtu.be/-vZXgApsPCQ