The Gift of Faiure

It must be borne in mind that the tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. 

It lies in having no goal to reach.

 

It is not a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream. It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is 

a disgrace not to have any stars to reach.

 

Not failure, but low aim, is the real sin.

 

                  –Benjamin Mays via Pablo Eisenberg

 

 

What another great way to view our failures in life. One should rather have failed a million times over- in attempts to reach a goal or a dream, than to never have had a goal in mind. Failure is proof that one has gotten up and tried. Repeated failure is proof that of how strong an individual can be and how motivated and driven they are.

My best lesson in failure brings me back to my first years of College and that pesky ole College Algebra they find it necessary to make you take.  I have always done relatively well in school with mostly A’s and B’s….until it came to Algebra- my arch nemesis (and still is to this day).  First they made me take Math 97 – a class to prep you for Math 99- the precursor for College Algebra. I struggled through Math 97 and made a D. By struggled- I mean endured endless hours of study and practice and showing up on Saturdays for help and review of the week’s lesson.

Math 99 was the same. About five or six extra books on the subject from Barnes and Noble- Algebra for Dummies, etc. I went online to high school and middle school math sites for better comprehension and easier examples (as my comprehension was MIA). I did practice questions online, from the book, you name it. Attended every class and review session. I passed the class with a B- but failed the required separate exit exam. I was required to repeat the course the next semester.

Math 99 round two. Same thing as round one. Practice, tutors (4 different ones- two on campus and two non campus -one who was a high school Algebra Teacher and one from GA Tech) to help me wrap my mind around the subject. NADA. I could recite the formulas- but when applied to an equation- the answer was wrong nine out of ten times.  Writing this is currently giving me flashbacks of me crying on the floor four hours on end. There seemed to be no solution to my problem.  With endless practice and positive affirmations each day- I passed with a D. Then onto the next.

College Algebra- here we go again. Same thing. Struggle after struggle. I showed up each day, sat at the front of the class, asked questions, stayed late and attended tutorial sessions. To pass this class you had to have a D. I was one point below passing- with my F in hand I felt miserable. To my surprise- my professor gave me that extra point that let me pass. He saw how frustrated I had been, yet completely dedicated.

 I had tried to reach that goal and it was NOT easy by any means.  I just did not understand the point, and didn’t for many years.  But nowadays I see that point had nothing to do with me learning Algebra. It was me setting the goal to pass those classes no matter what and no matter how hard it was. I was facing academic probation- and in that - losing my identity as a good student.  This went on for an entire year and a half. Finally when it was all said and done- I am glad I hung in there. I wouldn’t want to repeat it- but I would if I had to. Passing those classes allowed me to move forward and cultivate myself in wonderfully interesting subjects. I am quite proud for hanging in there. And even though I feel that I have technically been taught more on the subject than most- I still probably couldn’t solve an equation if millions of dollars were on the line.

Failure was a gift for me. It proved how strong I was in the midst of constant defeat for that year and a half straight. So I look back on those failures and smile (with one eye twitching of course)!  I had a goal and I did not quit.  Much more respectable than no goals at all! So love your failures- there are lessons in them if you look hard enough. SO here’s to failure- because it’s not all a bad thing! 

 

 

 

 

Eudemonia

Happiness does not consist in pastimes and amusements but in virtuous activities.
~Aristotle

 

The question of “what is happiness?”  has eluded most scholars and sages since the beginning of time. In my own personal quest for happiness and the eluding comprehension of what it is, I have always enjoyed the Aristotelian concept of Happiness- as it seems to make more logical sense.

Perhaps happiness is not something that is attainable all of the time. Sometimes, for whatever reason, you wake up and it’s just not there. Logically, it should be; if your life is viewed as a whole and one took into account everything that currently is and has been great. How fortunate we have been to be so abundantly blessed with the things we have had, currently have, and the masses of opportunities available to us.

In the day and age of science and medicine to keep us healthier, and prolong our lives and health- we should be a happier society.

In the age of information to keep us better educated and informed- we should all be happier. 

In the day and age that we celebrate the most social freedoms we ever have in history, we should be a happier society.

But what keeps us from a permanent state of happiness?

Perhaps it is not meant to be. Or perhaps- the term of what happiness means is not actually what we all think it means. The current concept may be inaccurate, or at the very least, misunderstood.  

The translation of Happiness in the Greek Language is Eudemonia.

The word actually translates in Greek to “Human Flourishing” 

Etymologically, it consists of the words "eu" ("good" or “well”) and "daimōn" (a type of supernatural being/the spirit of man/infinite spirit).

As “Eu” is taken from the meaning “GOOD”- one has to consider what “the good” is.

In his Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle states that eudemonia is the highest good for human beings. The goal of life and the attainment of happiness lie with living a flourishing and virtuous life. Living such a life will have been considered at the end of one’s life- as have lived a happy life. This thought suggests that happiness is not a “thing” to be chased after moment and may not be a feeling to be possessed - but an end result of living a good/virtuous/flourishing life that one can look back at an be proud of.

Now this may be a program I can get behind- doing “good” just so happens to lead (most people) to feeling of happiness almost instantly. Doing good is gratifying- and should be- as long as the good was done in and of itself and for the sake of good. Doing good for the sake of an ulterior motive is not really doing good.  So if one leads a “good” and virtuous life- by choosing good and virtuous acts- it may lead to more feelings of momentary happiness and end in Eudemonia at the end of life.

 

            Eudemonia//Happiness//according to ancient Greeks:

Personal growth (intellectual cultivation/spiritual growth), human flourishing, purpose in life,  positive relations with other, adhering to civic duty, Golden Rule for the highest good, honesty, being a person of Virtue, displaying generosity, practicing  forgiveness. Displaying kindness, living in truth, being loyal, justice seeking, progressive self development and assistance of helping others develop to their fullest potential (when that help is wanted), being trustworthy,  and being ethical in all circumstances.

3 Easy Solutions

I now exercise my fearless faith in three ways- by thinking, speaking and acting. I am unmoved by appearances, therefore appearances move.

–Scovel Schinn

Today is a new day- completely separate from yesterday. Whatever disappointments are in the past- keep them there! The future has not happened yet- but the moment is in the now! Live in the present knowing that anything you desire in life IS possible and when you set the standard for attaining your goals and desires- they will be sure to manifest.

To ensure a positive future- you must exercise the moment in the following three ways- by thinking, speaking and acting in positive and productive ways toward your goals.

If your current appearances do not reflect those ideals, and you implement changes in this moment by thinking, speaking and acting- appearances will move in the right direction soon after.

There is NO SUCH THING as LACK or LIMITATION- if you think, speak and act all positive things into creation. Your energy will shift toward a different energy frequency of positivity and you will attract only what you think, speak and act of that positive nature.

MONITER your thoughts, words and actions- make sure they are all of the highest ideals, in positive form only and never hint to any lack or limitation. This includes thoughts of ourselves and thoughts of others. Keep the energy positive and it will move quicker and spread faster – as it has a higher vibration frequency- than any negative thought ever could.



I hope everyone has a wonderful day and lives in the present moment in a positive and productive way- ensuring a future beyond your greatest expectations.