“All that is necessary to break the spell of inertia and frustration is this: Act as if it were impossible to fail.” – Dorothea Brande
Today’s quote comes to you from two different sources. First, it comes directly from the author who wrote the book “Wake Up & Live!” in 1936. And more recently, the quote can be found as a message to support a book written by John Mason titled “Expect to Win.”
Both authors ask us to consider and come to our own conclusions about their concepts on success. Each of them use the magic of asking empowering questions to get us to employ the most powerful force in the universe, thought. We are simply asked to answer a couple of questions designed to get us “thinking.”
Dorothea Brande asks us to consider the following: “What would you “DO” if you knew it was impossible to fail?” Stop! Before you read another word, I am asking you right now, in this moment, to consider the same question, but not just to consider it… No, take out a piece of paper right now and take five minutes to answer the question. If you can’t do it right now, commit to answering this question not for me, but for yourself, at the earliest next opportunity sometime today.
John Mason asks a simple question: Why not discover your true potential today? He goes on to say: Some people freeze in the winter, while others ski. Which are you? Whether you ski or not makes no difference. The metaphor can be likened to the abundant harvest experienced by the farmer who worked all Spring and Summer and “finally” reaped the rewards of their effort in the fall. We wouldn’t expect a harvest if we didn’t plant in the spring right? It takes time for the works of our own individual efforts to bear fruit. However, if we haven’t done the work, we should expect no reward. If you have not yet sown the seeds for your eventual harvest, it’s not too late. As John states in his book, “It is never too late to achieve your goals!”
Yes, the seeds of success are the goals we capture on paper and the activities we identify to support those goals. It is nearly impossible to hit a target we cannot see. If we don’t know what success means to us individually, we are likely to adopt someone else’s definition of success. What would make your life a complete success? What would you like to accomplish this week and the next? How about next month? What about three months and six months from now? In one year from today, how will you know the year has been well spent? The answer: A review of the goals you established for yourself and an accounting of how you did, will give you all the information you need to either celebrate, or contemplate the adjustments required for the future.
As human beings, we have an unlimited capacity for success. We therefore also have an unlimited capacity for failure. However, there is a striking difference between failure and fearing to attempt because of the fear of failure. The only way to ever find out what we are truly capable of, is to first try. If we fail the first time we must simply try again. How long should we continue to try? Until…. Until when? Until we succeed says Jim Rohn! Commit to the process…. Eventually, you will succeed!
One final question… What would you “do” if you knew it was impossible to fail???
