“I have not failed.  I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” 

                                                                                    ~ Thomas A. Edison   

Failure is good, failure is necessary, failure stimulates a desire for success.  When an individual fails, we are instinctively and unconsciously prompted to discover a path to success.  Successful people are inspired people; they are unwilling to accept the “status quo.”  Inspired individuals are willing to challenge the norm, ask questions, seek solutions, and forge through unbeaten paths.  Inspired individuals are unwilling to give up.

THE GOOD OF FAILURE

The importance of failure is that it reminds us that we can do better, be better, and achieve more. 

Why are we so concerned about making mistakes?  Why are we afraid of failure?  As a society, we are taught that failure is a remark of our character, our persona, our very worth.  From Hollywood to Bollywood we view movies and television shows that remark upon the negativity of failure. 

The Positive Aspect of Failure

If I fail, then I have a guidepost, indicating the areas with which I can improve. Failure has become the barometer of negativity, rather than a potential of opportunity.  Without failure, we could not relish in the achievement of our successes.  As a good parent or teacher, we should teach our children that failure is an opportunity for improvement and growth, rather than a blockade deterring us from our greatest potential.  Failure is no more than a mere challenge begging us to be better. 

CHALLENGING YOUR CHILD

Challenging a child may prove an uphill battle for the parent or teacher.  Do not forget that children are like rainbows; they come in an array of personalities, levels of resiliency, and a variety of temperaments. Likewise, just as a rainbow reflects the beauty of nature, all children are radiating with an internal desire to beam with beauty and capability.  Remember, children emulate what they see, hear, and know; therefore, it is your obligation to foster the best within your child. 

ENCOURAGING YOUR CHILD

The importance of encouraging your teenager differs from challenging your teen.  For some parents and teachers, the two have become interchangeable.  The reality is, challenging is an arousal of one’s thoughts, interest or ideas in a competitive way; whereas, encouragement is offering a spirit of hope, inspiration, and promise. 

Encouraging your child should never offer a demeaning or threatening word, act, or deed.  Encouraging your child should never cause a loss of dignity or personal self respect.  Encouraging should be a shift upward, guiding a child towards a path of hope, inspiration, possibility and probability.  It should be words that inspire a child to do his or her best in life. 

THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF INSPIRATION

Olympians get what it means to be personally inspired.  The Olympic Spirit is one that engulfs the “Win-Win” attitude of personal success.  The typical Olympian is capable of being introspective; thus, examining and observing their own mental and emotional thought processes.  The Why’s of what caused them to loose a competition or fail to meet a qualification.  Such an Olympic Spirit is a mindset, which should radiate throughout a person’s being.  It is a spirit of hope and I will do attitude, not simply a possible I can do attitude.  This sort of spirit exudes the very nature and fiber of the person’s being. 

The Fundamental Principle of Inspiring a Child, is having an internal ability of recognizing that our weakness and strengths are mere landmarks in life, not an indicator of our personality or self-worth.  Sadly, our society has an abundance of naysayers, squelching the very essence of one’s personal inspiration.  Furthermore, you can expect that if a child is be capable of generating an instinctive principle of personal self-worth; that there will assuredly be a host of naysayers opposing that child’s desires and internal drive. 

The Fundamental Principle of Inspiration, is having a spirit of unconditional love, trust, respect, dignity, caring, and hope.  It is the knowledge that we will fail and succeed, but that our worth is not based on our failures or successes.  For who we are, is greater than our level of obtainment or achievement, or of failure or loss.  For who we are, is a person deserving of love, forgiveness, respect, dignity, and loyalty.  A child that is raised with such principles will intrinsically rely upon these principles in moments of need, desperation, motivation, and for personal inspiration.

“Olympism is a philosophy of life, exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of body, will and mind.” (IOC, 2012, Online) If we raise a child with such intrinsic concepts, then that child will have a personal reservoir, supplying the whole of their being.  Moreover, such individuals not only are inspired, but frequently inspire others to reach for the stars. 

Teachers and parents alike, should strive to be the inspiration that they would hope their children to be. 

Author:   Dr. Asa Don Brown, Ph.D., C.C.C.

References

Olympic Movement (2012) Olympic character Retrieved August 27, 2012 from http://www.olympic.org/Documents/olympic_charter_en.pdf

*The views expressed by our authors are personal opinions and do not necessarily reflect the views of the CCPA