Yesterday, riffing of an experience of almost falling while inline skating, I wrote about falling forward, and how it can actually help you stay upright and moving forward when you stumble in life.
Looking back, I realize that I only addressed part of the picture. Following the momentum of the fall is one element, but the other part is letting your feet scramble to stay under your weight.
If you don't keep your feet moving when you trip while skating, you'll ultimately go splat. It's the same in life.
I can't even count how many times I have done something, completely botched it (as I saw it, at least), and then felt too gun shy to try again. My feet stopped moving. I could do all the learning in the world from the experience, but without that continued movement, it was all moot.
On the other hand, I have no shortage of examples where I said, "Huh, well what if I do it this way? What if I try this? What if I take this approach?" And ultimately something good happened.
Next time you find yourself falling, ask yourself, "How do I need to move my feet? What do I need to do to make sure I keep moving forward and don't get bogged down? How can I make sure I don't go splat?"
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Curt Rosengren, Passion Catalyst TM
Curt, so true. In the last few years, I've had the opportunity to speak with a lot of people who have achieved objective success, and the one thing they all have in common is dogged persistence. For most of us, getting what we want doesn't come easily, and there are a lot of missteps along the way. But what separates those who eventually get there from those who don't is the willingness to re-invent yourself, adjust your goals, and, as you say, fall forward.
Best,
Alexandra Levit
Author, How'd You Score That Gig?
Blogger, Water Cooler Wisdom
http://alexandralevit.typepad.com
Posted by: Alexandra Levit | April 30, 2008 at 06:51 PM