“Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him.”
– Aldous Huxley, English author, (1894 – 1963)
That’s why it’s so important to learn from victories and defeats. Granted we might learn more when we lose, but those can be painful lessons, so why not play to win, but learn no matter what the outcome!
It’s almost never about what happens to us, it’s what we do next that really matters.
What we do next provides our next opportunity to make a difference. To learn. To grow. To move forward.
Today, what will we do with what happens to us?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on that!
Chris Werner says
Steve – great post (as always) and we miss you on this side of the fence!
For experience – “defeats” can be as precious as ‘wins’ – appreciating and leveraging the knowledge of losses can be extremely powerful. A subtle analogy – professional golfers will watch a missed putt – not out of agony, but so they have an easier read for their next putt.
I hope Austin is well and that we cross paths soon – warmest regards, Chris.
Barb Woods says
I always struggle with this idea that we learn more from failures or loses. It’s like the idea that without the negative, we wouldn’t be able to appreciate the positive. I don’t have to eat rancid meat to know that I fully enjoy good steak!
Maybe we stop and think about more more because of the pain these cause. However, when we do something well, and it works, I believe we are creating unconscious competence.
Katrina says
I guess I would add…In everything give thanks. Being grateful for all of life’s experiences, bad or a negative, allows you to open up to a bigger picture than you may have imaged.
gil wohler says
I think your friend Barb is purdy smart. ” Creating unconscious competence”. I believe that I can now enjoy my “little victories” more than in the past. That feeling inside that can’t be shared with anyone else when you win. It is fleeting and now I know why and where it goes.
Steve Heston says
I KNOW she’s purdy smart! Maybe even RILLY smart!