MattMunnell.com

I have had some folks talk to me lately about different things that have occurred in their lives and how they see them as failures. Relationships, school work, business, even life in general.

They ain’t failures though – they just can’t see it yet.

I know when you’re in the middle of something it is easy to go to that place in your mind that whispers “you’re failing.” I know it’s very easy for others to say to you “don’t listen to those voices and erase those thoughts from your mind.”

But that can be hard

Someone very close to me is told every single day, multiple times a day how beautiful, sweet, smart and amazing they are. And yet, this person sees the things that don’t go so right and perfect and holds on to them. I ask, often, why is it so easy for you to hold on to the imperfection you seem to think you have instead of building yourself up with all the obvious goodness and love in your life.

Human nature perhaps.

But let’s think about it. Are failures really failures if you are still continuing to live? I flunked out of school twice – twice! And yet I do not consider myself a failure because I still have time to grab that degree (and I just got accepted to a school to do just that 39 years after my freshman – first freshman – year).

I lived through a divorce. Am I a failure at marriage? Nope – I’m married now and have been for over 10 years after my first marriage lasted 20 years. I continue to work at it and think I’m doing pretty good (hopefully Janet thinks so too!)

Business – I thought I was doing good, moving up in my company and achieving multiple levels of leadership positions but when restructuring came this year I was “retired.” Failure at work? Nah…almost 37 years tell me I was a success and the company even moved me to Savannah three years ago to make a difference. I couldn’t be a total failure in three years can I? The company just made a business decision on headcount. So now I’m starting a couple of different ventures that I’ve always wanted to.

Failures…any of them? Nope, I just ain’t finished yet. And none of you are either – you have plenty of talents and time left to do what you want to do. Now you do have to work to eliminate negative self-talk and replace it with action words and activity but you are no where near failing.

Follow me and we’ll finish together! (And have a lot of fun doing it)