Try, Fail, Learn, Repeat

“Keep on beginning and failing. Each time you fail, start all over again, and you will grow stronger.” Anne Sullivan

None of the little changes you can make in your life are going to kill you.  Yes, they might be slightly uncomfortable or embarrassing but you won’t die from shame or getting up fifteen minutes earlier to start reading or doing ten minutes of cardio.

Can only do three push ups before your arms feel like spaghetti?  Do it.  Then do another three tonight.  And tomorrow morning.  And tomorrow night.  When you can, do four.  Then five.  It’s not failure, it is discovering your limit so that you can then push it over and over and over and improve.

Mess up that presentation in practice?  Awesome, it wasn’t in front of your boss or client.  Do it again, a bit better.  Again.  And improve each iteration until you can nail it.

Mess up that meal?  It is still edible, and next time will be better, and better still until you’re proud of your culinary skills.

The only people that never fail are those that never try to accomplish anything.  They know neither victory nor defeat and end up a cold dark soul as Theodore Roosevelt would say.  Better to try and fail and grow and repeat and truly live then to avoid all risk and miss out on all the rewards.