Failure Is Harsh, But The Best Teacher

“Failure is a teacher – a harsh one, perhaps, but the best...  That's what I have to do when an idea backfires or a sales program fails.  You've got to put failure to work for you ... you can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it.  So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can.  Because that's where you will find success.  On the far side of failure.”~Thomas J. Watson

Failure.  the word conjures up bad memories, times we were ridiculed, laughed at and shunned because we were wrong.  That's part of the "Harsh teacher" Watson is talking about.  I'm sure you've felt it and can remember it like it was yesterday.  Maybe it even was yesterday however you have to make that failure work for you!

We need to reframe that word, failure.  "A learning experience," "feedback," "course correction," "An opportunity to begin again more intelligently," "A chance to develop my sense of humor," "An opportunity to perfect my performance."  How do you reframe failure?

You can get discouraged by failure or you can learn from it.  Failure is hardly ever fatal.  Quitting is fatal and final.   Don't let a failure stop you from becoming who and what you want to become.  Watson also said that "If you want to succeed, fail faster."

Failure is GOOD!  Making mistakes lead to success!  Because on the far side of failure is where you will find success!

Know.  Be Known.  Make A Difference!

“Failure is a teacher – a harsh one, perhaps, but the best...  That's what I have to do when an idea backfires or a sales program fails.  You've got to put failure to work for you ... you can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it.  So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can.  Because that's where you will find success.  On the far side of failure.”

Failure Is Delay, Not Defeat!

"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end." ~Denis Waitley

When did failure start being something to be avoided? As far back as I can remember, it was always something to be avoided as opposed to being something to view as experience and learned from. Most people view failure as a dead end rather than a temporary detour.  How do you see failure, as a dead end or as a roadblock?

The fastest way to success is THROUGH failure.  Thomas Watson, founder of IBM said "If you want to succeed, fail faster." What a great way to look at things! Failure is OK!!! In fact, the best way to deal with failure is to re-frame it as delay or a temporary detour or just as a learning experience.

Don't be afraid to fail. Henry Ford said "Failure allows you to begin again more intelligently." Nice, failure allows you to being again more intelligently! Start now. Fail your way to success.

Here are some other ways to view failure through different eyes:  (Tom Hopkins)

I never see failure as failure but only as a learning experience,

I never see failure as failure, only as an opportunity to practice my technique and perfect my performance,

I never see failure as failure but only as an opportunity to develop my sense of humor,

I never see failure as failure but only as the negative feedback to change course in my direction,

I never see failure as failure but only as the game I must play to win!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end."

Failure Is Delay, Not Defeat!

"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end." ~Denis Waitley

When did failure start being something to be avoided? As far back as I can remember, it was always something to be avoided as opposed to being something to view as experience and learned from. Most people view failure as a dead end rather than a temporary detour.  How do you see failure, as a dead end or as a roadblock?

The fastest way to success is THROUGH failure.  Thomas Watson, founder of IBM said "If you want to succeed, fail faster." What a great way to look at things! Failure is OK!!! In fact, the best way to deal with failure is to re-frame it as delay or a temporary detour or just as a learning experience.

Don't be afraid to fail. Henry Ford said "Failure allows you to begin again more intelligently." Nice, failure allows you to being again more intelligently! Start now. Fail your way to success.

Here are some other ways to view failure through different eyes: 

"I never see failure as failure but only as a learning experience,

I never see failure as failure, only as an opportunity to practice my technique and perfect my performance,

I never see failure as failure but only as an opportunity to develop my sense of humor,

I never see failure as failure but only as the negative feedback to change course in my direction,

I never see failure as failure but only as the game I must play to win!"~Tom Hopkins

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end."

A Different Look At Failure

“Failure is a teacher – a harsh one, perhaps, but the best...  That's what I have to do when an idea backfires or a sales program fails.  You've got to put failure to work for you ... you can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it.  So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can.  Because that's where you will find success.  On the far side of failure.”~Thomas J. Watson

Failure.  the word conjures up bad memories, times we were ridiculed, laughed at and shunned because we were wrong.  That's part of the "Harsh teacher" Watson is talking about.  I'm sure you've felt it and can remember it like it was yesterday.  Maybe it even was yesterday however you have to make that failure work for you!

We need to reframe that word, failure.  "A learning experience," "feedback," "course correction," "An opportunity to begin again more intelligently," "A chance to develop my sense of humor," "An opportunity to perfect my performance."  How do you reframe failure?

You can get discouraged by failure or you can learn from it.  Failure is hardly ever fatal.  Quitting is fatal and final.   Don't let a failure stop you from becoming who and what you want to become.  Watson also said that "If you want to succeed, fail faster."

Failure is GOOD!  Making mistakes lead to success!  Because on the far side of failure is where you will find success!

Know.  Be Known.  Make A Difference!

“Failure is a teacher – a harsh one, perhaps, but the best...  That's what I have to do when an idea backfires or a sales program fails.  You've got to put failure to work for you ... you can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it.  So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can.  Because that's where you will find success.  On the far side of failure.”

Failure Is Not Our Undertaker

"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end." ~Denis Waitley

When did failure start being something to be avoided? As far back as I can remember, it was always something to be avoided as opposed to being something to view as experience and learned from. Most people view failure as a dead end rather than a temporary detour.  How do you see failure, as a dead end or as a roadblock?

The fastest way to success is THROUGH failure.  Thomas Watson, founder of IBM said "If you want to succeed, fail faster." What a great way to look at things! Failure is OK!!! In fact, the best way to deal with failure is to re-frame it as delay or a temporary detour or just as a learning experience.

Don't be afraid to fail. Henry Ford said "Failure allows you to begin again more intelligently." Nice, failure allows you to being again more intelligently! Start now. Fail your way to success.

Here are some other ways to view failure through different eyes:  (Tom Hopkins)

I never see failure as failure but only as a learning experience,

I never see failure as failure, only as an opportunity to practice my technique and perfect my performance,

I never see failure as failure but only as an opportunity to develop my sense of humor,

I never see failure as failure but only as the negative feedback to change course in my direction,

I never see failure as failure but only as the game I must play to win!

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end."

The Far Side Of Failure

“Failure is a teacher – a harsh one, perhaps, but the best...  That's what I have to do when an idea backfires or a sales program fails.  You've got to put failure to work for you ... you can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it.  So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can.  Because that's where you will find success.  On the far side of failure.”~Thomas J. Watson

Failure.  the word conjures up bad memories, times we were ridiculed, laughed at and shunned because we were wrong.  That's part of the "Harsh teacher" Watson is talking about.  I'm sure you've felt it and can remember it like it was yesterday.  Maybe it even was yesterday however you have to make that failure work for you!

We need to reframe that word, failure.  "A learning experience," "feedback," "course correction," "An opportunity to begin again more intelligently," "A chance to develop my sense of humor," "An opportunity to perfect my performance."  How do you reframe failure?

You can get discouraged by failure or you can learn from it.  Failure is hardly ever fatal.  Quitting is fatal and final.   Don't let a failure stop you from becoming who and what you want to become.  Watson also said that "If you want to succeed, fail faster."

Failure is GOOD!  Making mistakes lead to success!  Because on the far side of failure is where you will find success!

Know.  Be Known.  Make A Difference!

“Failure is a teacher – a harsh one, perhaps, but the best...  That's what I have to do when an idea backfires or a sales program fails.  You've got to put failure to work for you ... you can be discouraged by failure or you can learn from it.  So go ahead and make mistakes. Make all you can.  Because that's where you will find success.  On the far side of failure.”

Success Is A Lousy Teacher

"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose." ~Bill Gates

Have you been successful before? Are you successful now? Have you found that you learn more from success or more from failure? Why is it that our society so deeply frowns on failure?

What is failure? How do you describe it? How do you feel about it? To me, failure is nothing more than feedback. It's telling me that what I'm doing isn't working and I need to change the strategy or the direction that I was going. Most people when they fail, either quit or "try harder." Are you "trying harder" but getting the same results?

Einstein said that "Doing the same thing over and expecting a different result was insanity." Yet how many people do you know that are doing that?  Are you just doing the same thing over and over?  STOP NOW!

Success is a lousy teacher. Why do you think so many championship teams don't make it back to the championship game? Their success didn't teach them to be better, they didn't have the same hunger and with everybody trying to beat the champs, their success wasn't able to allow them to be prepared for the new challenges.

Most of you reading this are smart...Don't let your success make you think that you can't lose.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose."

Success...Is A Lousy Teacher

"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose." ~Bill Gates

Have you been successful before? Are you successful now? Have you found that you learn more from success or more from failure? Why is it that our society so deeply frowns on failure?

What is failure? How do you describe it? How do you feel about it? To me, failure is nothing more than feedback. It's telling me that what I'm doing isn't working and I need to change the strategy or the direction that I was going. Most people when they fail, either quit or "try harder." Are you "trying harder" but getting the same results?

Einstein said that "Doing the same thing over and expecting a different result was insanity." Yet how many people do you know that are doing that?

Success is a lousy teacher. Why do you think so many championship teams don't make it back to the championship game? Their success didn't teach them to be better, they didn't have the same hunger and with everybody trying to beat the champs, their success wasn't able to allow them to be prepared for the new challenges.

Most of you reading this are smart...Don't let your success make you think that you can't lose.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose."

Failure Should Be Our Teacher

"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end." ~Denis Waitley

When did failure start being something to be avoided? As far back as I can remember, it was always something to be avoided as opposed to being something to view as experience and learned from. Most people view failure as a dead end rather than a temporary detour.

Thomas Watson, founder of IBM said "If you want to succeed, fail faster." What a great way to look at things! Failure is OK!!! In fact, the best way to deal with failure is to re-frame it as delay or a temporary detour or just as a learning experience.

Don't be afraid to fail. Henry Ford said "Failure allows you to begin again more intelligently." Nice, failure allows you to being again more intelligently! Start now. Fail your way to success.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!


"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end." 

Failure...Not Our Undertaker

"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end." ~Denis Waitley

When did failure start being something to be avoided? As far back as I can remember, it was always something to be avoided as opposed to being something to view as experience and learned from. Most people view failure as a dead end rather than a temporary detour.

Thomas Watson, founder of IBM said "If you want to succeed, fail faster." What a great way to look at things! Failure is OK!!! In fact, the best way to deal with failure is to re-frame it as delay or a temporary detour or just as a learning experience.

Don't be afraid to fail. Henry Ford said "Failure allows you to begin again more intelligently." Nice, failure allows you to being again more intelligently! Start now. Fail your way to success.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end."

A Lousy Teacher

"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose." ~Bill Gates

Have you been successful before? Are you successful now? Have you found that you learn more from success or more from failure? Why is it that our society so deeply frowns on failure?

What is failure? How do you describe it? How do you feel about it? To me, failure is nothing more than feedback. It's telling me that what I'm doing isn't working and I need to change the strategy or the direction that I was going. Most people when they fail, either quit or "try harder." Are you "trying harder" but getting the same results?

Einstein said that "Doing the same thing over and expecting a different result was insanity." Yet how many people do you know that are doing that?

Success is a lousy teacher. Why do you think so many championship teams don't make it back to the championship game? Their success didn't teach them to be better, they didn't have the same hunger and with everybody trying to beat the champs, their success wasn't able to allow them to be prepared for the new challenges.

Most of you reading this are smart...Don't let your success make you think that you can't lose.

Know. Be Known. Make A Difference!

"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose." ~Bill Gates