FAILURE: THE SECRET TO SUCCESS!
Good Morning. I wanted to give you a break from our work on the fund raiser. And as hard as it may be for you to believe, I really wasn't "Googling" for Danica Patrick when I stumbled upon this short film (although, her husband is my age and met her in a nearby facility where I work out). No, seriously. I was thinking about my fellow Bloggers, Martini (of DMC & Me fame) and DJ DAVY B who have been such stalwart Blog buds. I also thought of Seraphine (of Encore Seraphine fame) and PM Prescott, Sage (of Musings fame), Seamus (of Damp Dog fame) Jean Luc Picard "across the pond" and Diane (of Sunday Breakfast fame), new Bloggers like Protege and so many of you who lurk but are loyal! One thing led to another and I ended up here.
Just listening to the people in this film led me to realize that we often don't teach kids that failure is possible, but that it is never final. A lot of my best projects failed. I failed to rescue people from themselves (it's futile, forget that one)! I failed to pass endless auditions for television commercials. In 2004, I pestered (persuaded) three United States Senators, a Secretary of Transportation, a Chairman of the board, all of the individual board members of an airline in Chapter 11 (that was about to disappear), the president and CEO, and a Bankruptcy Judge until they flew me to Washington for a bare knuckled meeting. Once there, I presented my Alternative Plan of Chapter 11 Reorganization. The CEO listened to my bold presentation (and believe me, I was bold --I had nothing to lose). After I finished, he drew in a breath, asked to review my flip chart quietly and admitted that I was "ninety-nine point nine percent on the mark" , but said (with regret) that their largest creditor would quash my plan because it left them out (let's just say that I am a Boeing and not an Airbus man). I flew back to Ohio exhausted and slept for an entire day and half.
A television network in New York and I negotiated from October 16th through November 2nd, 2006. I was to become their newest Field Correspondent. We ended up walking away from the table, and the outcome made little sense--- then or now! Today, it's been over five years later and we still stay in touch. Go figure! My next project saw me assemble a cable television show as a creator (writer and producer) only to have the concept completely stolen by a famous producer I was consulting with. My attorney tells me I can't mention her name or that of the wildly popular cable television series, but I am allowed to tell you unequivocally that it was mine. What I can't explain is why I'm not bitter about that theft. I'm just glad I'm not a professional actuary because then I'd know how much serious money I lost. I'd rather remain ignorant--even if it took over three years out of my life. And I am being completely honest!
In all of that failure, I was living and doing and building and mending and pushing the levers, twisting the keys and pulling my share of the load. A lot of it is neat just to look back and consider how far along I did make it with certain projects! Many of my friends were standing on the sidelines amazed. One friend's e-mail in Florida read: "How the hell did you manage that!" Wow, life is never boring.
I relocated to Arizona, lost 64 pounds, and dove into new directions. On balance, I've had a hell of a lot of successes and celebration parties., and I know there will be more of them. The walls of my home are decorated with framed mementos. But not without failures. That is what makes the successes so sweet. Larry King believes that "living well, is the best revenge." I'll have to admit. That is an interesting concept. The people in this film, faced down a lot of failure. As you watch, I would be curious to hear from you what examples of failure and successes come to mind in your own lives.
A television network in New York and I negotiated from October 16th through November 2nd, 2006. I was to become their newest Field Correspondent. We ended up walking away from the table, and the outcome made little sense--- then or now! Today, it's been over five years later and we still stay in touch. Go figure! My next project saw me assemble a cable television show as a creator (writer and producer) only to have the concept completely stolen by a famous producer I was consulting with. My attorney tells me I can't mention her name or that of the wildly popular cable television series, but I am allowed to tell you unequivocally that it was mine. What I can't explain is why I'm not bitter about that theft. I'm just glad I'm not a professional actuary because then I'd know how much serious money I lost. I'd rather remain ignorant--even if it took over three years out of my life. And I am being completely honest!
In all of that failure, I was living and doing and building and mending and pushing the levers, twisting the keys and pulling my share of the load. A lot of it is neat just to look back and consider how far along I did make it with certain projects! Many of my friends were standing on the sidelines amazed. One friend's e-mail in Florida read: "How the hell did you manage that!" Wow, life is never boring.
I relocated to Arizona, lost 64 pounds, and dove into new directions. On balance, I've had a hell of a lot of successes and celebration parties., and I know there will be more of them. The walls of my home are decorated with framed mementos. But not without failures. That is what makes the successes so sweet. Larry King believes that "living well, is the best revenge." I'll have to admit. That is an interesting concept. The people in this film, faced down a lot of failure. As you watch, I would be curious to hear from you what examples of failure and successes come to mind in your own lives.
HAVE A NICE WEEKEND!
posted by Michael Manning @ 12:35 AM
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12 Comments:
I'm often afraid to try things because I do not want to fail at anything. It's a stupid way to think, isn't it?
Sorry to hear about your excellent show idea being stolen. I once designed a title (cartoon) character for a TV series that was never made. Oh, what could have been.
I've been frustrated and upset when I've seen my ideas suddenly appear on store shelves, commercially successful, years and years after I invented them in my high school sketch books. If only I had the know-how, time or money to pursue them back then. All I can do is say "oh well!"
Martini: My attorney is very sharp and has represented many large Fortune 500 corporations. I sought her out just before I moved here. She is extremely well respected throughout the country and she told me that under no circumstances was I to mention the cable television show, the name of the host or the producer.
It is sad that the producer chose to be who she is in terms of her behavior and poor business ethics. At the time, I was wrapping up the rebuilding project of my Mom's home in Ohio before she took over the house. It was getting dark outside and I had fixed myself a sandwich in the kitchen downstairs. If you can imagine this: I had dry wall pallets, 2 X 6 lumber, electrical wiring, ladders everywhere and was dressed in jeans and a green T-shirt with dry wall all over the front when I glanced through the kitchen into the living room where the TV was playing. I saw the show come on (the opening cued up) and everything that followed was straight out of my concept. I stopped everything I was doing and walked into the room to make sure this was not a coincidence. It wasn't. I phoned my Videographer in Eastern Ohio who partnered with me on projects from 2003-2007 and interrupted his dinner with his wife and two toddlers. He turned on the TV and we stayed on the telephone line with few words to say as we watched so much time, money and effort go up in flames. I spent the next week with my lawyer who brought in two more expert lawyers in two separate areas of Law and I listened to their suggestions, weighed the options, bounced it off a few more trusted friends and ultimately chose to just let it go. If the saying I hear so often: "What goes around comes around" has meaning, then I certainly don't want to be anywhere near these people when they end up at their so-called "end point" I referenced in my 4/5/09 Blog (on a slightly different scenario). I'm not bitter. I just detached from it and continued on with my life.
I felt it was worth sharing, here because I feel that every blogger on this page has been through something similar in their own life journey. The choice of going to war (and I've been to war before, believe me) or stepping back and letting the Big Man Upstairs take hold of the situation and the perpetrator is an individual one. I also wanted to focus on what little time I had left in the Mid-West finishing work on my Mom's house, turning it back over to her and preparing to be where I am today--happy and in Arizona. I am sorry to hear about your situation. Hang in! :)
if failure is the secret to success, my future is assured.
to be truthful, i've had more successes than failures in my adult life. sometimes success came easily for me.
sometimes though, i feel like i'm in a 'between' world. on balance successful, but i can't shake the fear everything is going to fall apart. i'm afraid.
i missed weeks of work after a recent surgery, at a time when other people at my firm are losing their jobs.
it's hard to move when you are 'between' success and fear of failure. and i know there are millions, literally millions of people like me right now, all over the world.
but, you're right michael. no matter what happens, there will be somethng else to celebrate. and who knows, maybe somethng better ight even come out of it. or even, possibly, i'm worrying for nothing.
Children ought to be warned that failure is possible.
My motto has always been that the only true mistake is the one you don't learn from. If you learned your lesson it wasn't a mistake it was a learning experience. How many athletes can point to a loss that turned the season around and they went on to win the championship. How sad it was for New England to win every game a couple of years ago except the Super Bowl.
We have the greatest ability to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off and go on. That's what we have to teach our children from their first steps. If they quit after the first time they fell they'd never learn to walk.
I think failure is and should be linked with being told "No!". So many children grow up with their every whim being granted that they're not just spoiled, they're often ruined for life. In their quest to give their children everything they didn't have growing up, parents are spoiling their kids for real life.
On another note, Happy Labor Day Weekend, Micheal! ;o)
Love and hugs,
Diane
Captain: Yes, and that it is okay to fail and not the end of the world.
Have a great weekend! :)
PM: This is wonderful advice from a super teacher! :)
Diane: How true! Happy Labor Day to you and Lamar! He's still on my prayer list for the eye! Lots of Love and (((HUGS)))! :)
Seraphine: Sending you a long tight ((((HUG)))) with Love and Friendship! Feel better soon!!!!!!:D)
given a choice, i'd rather learn from (and build on) my successes.
Seraphine: You always strike me as a bright and shining beacon of success and humor. lol! :)
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