Today I Decide to Accept Failure

Did you ever make a plan that by age so-and-so, you should have achieved this-and-that? I know that I have a journal somewhere (or I may have thrown it away) that states that by age 26, I should already be married with a kid on the way. I imagined myself having a managerial position in one of the top ad agencies in the country. My goal back then was also to have enough money to buy what I want or travel where I want to. Obviously I did not achieve any of that by that age and wasn't even close to doing so. So by the time I turned 26, I was already despairing that I was a total failure and disappointment.

Looking back now that I'm in my late forties, I literally laugh out loud. I want to give the 26-year-old me a big hug and tell her failure is inevitable. I only figured out what I really wanted to do in life when I was in my mid-30s and it wasn’t even in my original plan. Just last year I also had to pivot as I made a life-changing decision and now I'm living a very different life from what I imagined myself doing when I just graduated from college.

The thing is, while it’s good to have a plan, when things don’t go according to schedule, it doesn’t mean that you’re a failure and that you have not achieved anything. Think about all the lessons you have learned and are continually learning from all the detours. Think about the lives you have impacted along the way, in small and big ways. Think about every small and big thing that you've been able to do. Think about if where you are right now is where your talents are best used and where God is most glorified. 

This may sound cliche but it's a cliche for a reason. Failure is always an opportunity for a fresh start, no matter what age or what phase in life you are in.

IF YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING:

Write down where you think you’ll be or what you’ll be doing in five years time. Make a schedule to look back at this “plan” five years from now.

JOURNALING PROMPT:

What unexpected lessons, strength, or clarity did you gain from taking a different route from your original plan?