Making progress in life is a driving force we should all embrace and use as our measuring stick each day. We must make ourselves vulnerable to the idea that "failure" is not a negative word, it is a measurement made by man to label an effort that was unsuccessful. Failures are just part of the progression towards success. Thomas Edison's famous quote, "I will not say I failed 1000 times, I will say that I discovered there are 1000 ways that can cause failure.", rings true with the mantra of progression over perfection. What if Edison had attempted to create the light bulb a dozen times or maybe even 50 times and then decided that it just wouldn't work and gave up? Life would have been a little darker for a while longer until someone with a little more drive came along to accomplish the feat. Edison realized that making mistakes and falling short of his goal were all necessary steps in working towards and eventually reaching his goal. He saw it as inevitable that if only he persevered through the missteps in his quest he would eventually reach his goal. We must apply that same perseverance to our lives to accomplish our mission in life which should be to grow (progress) and better the world in which we live.
Two of favorite advocates in the understanding of the whole progression over perfection mentality are Dr. Carol Dweck and Dr. Angela Duckworth. Dweck's work on the advantages of a growth mindset over a fixed mindset laid the foundation for Duckworth to advocate for a person to develop more "grit" or resiliency to work through the adversity of failure to ultimately reach a goal. The idea of a growth mindset is that you have to look at what some would label a failure, and to understand that these are mere lessons to learn that help us grow and progress. The key is we have to be willing to learn from our mistakes. Those with a fixed mindset will not push themselves for fear of failure or fear of looking like they aren't successful. This type of thinking hampers progress and deadens the drive to attempt things outside of our comfort zone. Keep in mind the score on the scoreboard isn't the only factor that determines success.
As a coach (and if you are reading this you are a coach to someone your children, coworkers, students, athletes, friends, family, or even if it is to yourself) you must embrace the concept that as long as you are progressing you are moving the needle in the right direction. Coaches that are facing a losing season must set realistic goals that are both measurable and attainable to determine if your season was a success. Looking only at the scoreboard is man's measuring stick, but what really matters in life is what did you do in your life that makes an impact on as many people as possible. Progression. Think about how you encourage others and how you push forward in the face of adversity. Don't get bogged down by the fear of looking bad or falling flat on your face. Go out on a limb and make yourself more vulnerable to taking chances. The impact you make on this world isn't measured on a daily basis, instead our legacy on the world we live is measured by the continuous work we do while we are here on this earth to make our world a better place. When faced with a challenge that appears too hard to overcome keep in mind that you may never overcome that obstacle, yet one thing is for certain. If you give up, if you quit, it is certain that you will not be successful, but if you dig in, if you draw upon every bit of grit, perseverance, and resiliency you have inside your soul then you have a chance to make a difference in the world you live. Whatever it is in life that you are destined to do, remember it's all about progression not perfection! Go out and make a difference today! Coach Carter
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