I messed up big time yesterday.
Without going into the gory details, if there is no failure, only learning experience, then I just had one heck of a major course in learning experience.
It was the kind of goof that makes you go cold and your insides squeeze into a tiny knot. I can count the exact last time I felt that way, and it was back in ‘03. That bad.
Now there is no failure, only learning experience sounds good on paper, but application can be tough.
But you know what made it much, much easier? My friends and girlfriend who rallied around me in my hour of need.
This is a big shout out to them, if nothing else than to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Without you, I would have been lost, and I am blessed to have each of you in my life.
And remembering what Ralph Waldo Emerson once said;
Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.
Good advice.
I’m curious. Have you ever messed up major big time (it’s a pretty good bet everyone else
), and looking back now, what helped you bounce back up?


November 2nd, 2006 at 1:36 pm
Hi Alvin,
Messed up? of course. Big time? well, it depends how you define “big”. Having called myself a “learning microorganism” some years ago, I guess very few things are “big”. But, in those situations, what has helped me is the knowledge that coming back to life and action would bring something positive to me and those around me than contemplating the disaster.
Just a little action. Maybe playing with a baby. It then snowballs.
I am happy to hear your resiliency was there with you.
(we have migrated to http://www.sharpbrains.com/blog, you may enjoy some of our recent posts on stress)
November 3rd, 2006 at 2:31 am
Friends in need are friends indeed. The fact your friends are there for you when you need them only shows the kind of person you are.
You must have been a great friend too, aren’t you?
November 4th, 2006 at 2:09 am
Hmm good point Alvaro! Focusing on the positive and doing something rather than worrying about it.
I was resilient, and I learnt how to be resilient while having the shakes
Thanks Kloudiia! It’s so nice when you put it that way…so true of course