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Words to inspire the belief that we have all we need to be the change we wish to see.

Month: October 2019

You want to be the weakest person in the room

You want to be the weakest person in the room.

The weakest student, teacher, parent and colleague.

Because then you can learn and grow from those who are stronger than you.

You become the average of the five people you spend the most time with.

So raise your average.

If you are the strongest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.

We all strive to be competent.  To do things right.  To not make mistakes.  To not look weak.  But the only way to evolve is to fall down and rise again.

In order to do this we have to try.  We have to share.  We have to be vulnerable.  We have to take a chance.  We have to embrace failure.

And by doing this, you can find a beautiful treasure that you had no idea was there.

As author Anne Lamott said, “We are given a shot at dancing with, or at least clapping along with, the absurdity of life, instead of being squashed by it over and over again.  It’s like singing on a boat during a terrible storm at sea.  You can’t stop the raging storm, but singing can change the hearts and spirits of the people who are together on that ship.”

We are on that ship together.  And we are waiting for you to sing.  It doesn’t matter if you don’t hit the right notes.  It’s far worse if you don’t start singing at all.

 

The cost of learning the lessons he needed to learn

Entrepreneur Tim Ferriss toyed with getting an MBA after his undergrad.  But instead, he took the $100,000 he would have paid in tuition and invested it in start-ups.  He knew that he’d most likely lose it all.  But he looked at it as the cost of learning the lessons he needed to learn.  Just like you don’t get your tuition back after earning a degree.  He lost money but he also learned a massive amount.  Invaluable experience. Continue reading

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

A study was recently published by Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management that reminds us what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

The study looked at scientists who were applying for research grants for their papers.  They followed those who just made the cut and those who just missed it.

Ten years later, the scientists who just missed the cut were 6.1% more likely to have published a hit paper.

Which means the scientists who were rejected by the process were more likely to succeed.

This was the group that was turned down and did not get the grant money to continue their research but never stopped their quest to find answers and share them.

What didn’t kill them made them stronger.

By embracing failure, taking the lesson and persevering, they were more likely to succeed.

As Henry Ford said, “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”

What is something we can continue to work on even though we’ve been rejected?  What can we learn from the process and how can that help us grow?

Rejection is redirection.  Now that we know the new path we should be following we must start walking.

© 2023 Siobhan Kelleher Kukolic

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