The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. – Nelson Mandela
When I was younger, I used to ski, and I always prided myself on not falling. To me it was a successful day if I didn’t wipe out. That’s just common sense, right? Yes and no. I wasn’t taking any chances or risks, I wasn’t hurting myself, but I also wasn’t improving my skills.
I think it’s like that in life. You can’t live your life encased in a bubble. You need to take chances, and risks, an step out on that proverbial limb. Some times you’re going to be successful, and sometimes you’re not. The thing is, your success is not, or should not be measured on if you fail. It should be measured by how you react to that failure. Do you give up and never try again, or do you, much like the phoenix, rise up from the ashes, stronger and ready to try again.
Heck, you may not rise up stronger – that’s okay, what matters is that you keep rising. Keep getting up, and keep trying, over and over again. That is the way to live your life.