Day 347

I saw this quote on the wall at the gym this morning. I actually glanced at it as I left the room, then stopped and went back to take a picture. At first, I thought I would write a post about the quote itself, but as I sit down tonight I discovered  that I had been thinking through what the word "failure" meant most of the day.

The definition of the word "failure" is to lack success.

The definition of "success" is the accomplishment of an aim or purpose.

Therefore, to succeed, you must have an aim or, in my mind more importantly, a purpose. Don't get me wrong, goals are great. But in truth they aren't much more than a To Do list. And and much as it pains me to say it- is there really a purpose in a To Do list?

Maybe so, but chances are if your goal is worthwhile, it's because you have a purpose lurking behind it. My goal for next summer is to complete an Olympic triathlon. So what. But my purpose is to prove to myself and others that being healthy and fit is an attainable goal even in your 40's, and that you can do amazing things if you put your mind to it.

Maybe your goal was to get a decent grade on a final this week. But I gaurantee your purpose was bigger than that. Why are you taking the test? Not just to see if you can pass, but rather to take one step closer to achieving a level of overall knowledge that will assist you in working and living a life that you want.

Today's picture represents understanding what your purpose is. Because if you lack purpose, that word "failure" applies more than we would like it to. Purpose should be why you get up every morning- your family, your dedication to others, or possibly whatever God you call your own. If you have purpose, you can stumble through goals without being a failure. Not getting a good grade on a test doesn't have to stop you from a purpose. I may not finish an Olympic triathlon, but just training for one ensures lack of failure. So adjust your view of what "failure" is- chances are, your'e already more successful than you ever realized.