For my friend Maya I am creating a book of important quotes of encouragement. I wanted to find words to remind her that failure is not a bad thing; it is part of the process of success. These words from George S. Patton go like this:
At the end of the day,
– George S. Patton 1945
it’s not how far you fall but how high you bounce!
You will fall, no doubt. You will land flat on your face and wonder how in the world are you ever going to have the courage or energy to get back up again. You may stay down, lick your wounds and even think about quitting. You may need some help getting back up and pulling things back together. Your soul may be wounded, your ego may be dented, and it may feel like the end of everything you know and love. Yep, you fell down and you fell down really good! Don’t we all.
The point is to get up and start again. You will bounce back – better, stronger, smarter, wiser, maybe even a lot more humble. The point is to get back up and take another shot. I have said this before and I will say it again. Some of my best lessons and most triumphant successes all came as a result of a big, whopping failure. Never be afraid to try for fear of failure. Failure is how you learn, how you grow, and how you KNOW who you are and what you can sustain. The pain and recovery is all part of the process called living life.
So, here’s to the people who fall then bounce back. They are the people I want on my team, in my corner, the ones who I know will give it their all because they have learned well. They have learned how to bounce!
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