THE SUCCESS? IT COMES FROM WHAT YOU ARE WILLING TO FAIL AT

 Going-all in is everything. It keeps us alive, it makes us know ourselves, it makes us know what we want to excel at and yes, it also makes us successful. 

Be sure of your success no matter the mistakes

    The Latin poet Horace encouraged his friend       Massimo Lollio to "dare to be wise" in his "Epistles."   That means "have the courage to know!" Centuries  later, the German philosopher Immanuel Kant adopted the expression as the motto for the Enlightenment movement, saying "Have the courage to think for yourself!"

Having courage, daring first and foremost. These tools help us understand our lives and ourselves, and they also help us achieve practical or conceptual goals. 

How many times out of pure fear of failing at something do we decide not to even try, or to keep delaying? If we won't succeed, we may think we're not skilled in that area and might avoid it to protect our self-esteem. We always want to feel comfortable and safe. 

But it's wrong. Since childhood, we've learned crucial lessons through mistakes, like not putting our fingers in the door. So nothing could be simpler: do more, try, make mistakes and learn. Thomas J. Watson, a successful American manager at IBM, believed the secret to success lay in this principle. “Double your failure rate. – He said, – You think of failure as the enemy of success, but it's not at all. It can discourage you or you can learn from it, so move on and make mistakes. Do everything you can. Because remember that's where you'll find success. "As we grow, let's aim to become the best version of ourselves, much like we did as children. Embrace failure, and like we did in childhood, don't take it too seriously. Laugh at mistakes and build your character."

The criticisms? They do a great deal of good, if taken with wise gratitude. I'm confident that each of you has faced criticism at least once (if not, your circle might lack straightforward people). How did you react? In my first year at the University in Cambridge, my classmates and I shared our documentary ideas and drafts with the group. Initially, when I received comments and criticisms, I couldn't accept them. I felt offended and closed my mind to the feedback, missing the opportunity to learn from it. I didn't understand it. Fortunately, shortly afterward, I learned to benefit from that, appreciate different perspectives, and recognise the limitations of solely relying on my own viewpoint. So I delved deeper and experimented. The constructive comments served as a significant motivator, inspiring rapid improvement and growth. Since then, they've assisted me in refining both my work and work approach—never completing a project without seeking opinions and feedback from others beyond myself. From that project onwards I created works that I had never created before. Remember, these are never actual mistakes, but rather opportunities.

The renowned American cartoonist Scott Adams, in his book "How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big," highlights that "Every skill you acquire doubles your chances of success." Real. If you want to achieve success, work at it and choose learning, learn new things. Maximise your free time by choosing learning over mere entertainment and distraction. Recognise your total responsibility for everything in your life and your ability to make changes. Stay focused on yourself, avoid comparing with others, enjoy your journey, and be confident in achieving your goals. Everything changes there. Did you know that winners act like winners before they become one?

Consider the concept of the Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, where a prediction becomes true because it's stated. As William Thomas noted, "If people perceive situations as real, the consequences are real."

Be sure of your extraordinary success, be sure that you will acquire what you want to achieve, feel ready and act accordingly. Stay true to your values and aspirations, unaffected by others' actions or desires. Inconsistency can bring significant pain to life. Don't underestimate it; be true to yourself, as not being authentic can be destructive.

The path to a more fulfilling life exists. It's up to you to decide. And the journey will make you feel more alive than ever. My encouragement to you is to opt for success, embrace learning from mistakes, and foster personal growth aligned with your sincere desires, unaffected by external influences. Believe in yourself, acknowledge your mistakes, and have confidence in your victories.

 

Article in Italian here