Big Fat Failure

I’m a firm believer that how well you handle failure will be a direct measurement of your future success.

In writing, I think it’s safe to say that at some point we all experience failure. Failure too is subjective. Getting a ‘rejection’ to some is a sign of failure. I’d personally beg do differ, as you can only ‘fail’ when you quit because of it. Rejections are just minor setbacks:-)

That said, face it. The editor that tells you that you don’t have a chance, the agent that all but rolls his/her eyes while reading your proposal, the critique partner that runs out of red ink on their pen while editing your precious manuscript, the kindly noted form rejection letter, all of them are knives through our heart. We feel like a BIG FAT FAILURE. (I say fat because I’m on a diet… it’s how I feel at the moment! Ha!)

My pastor spoke on failure yesterday, but I think his main focus was regarding sin. When we sin, we’ve failed. We feel like a failure and need forgiveness. But this is post isn’t about that. It’s about our short-comings that we feel are failures.

One thing I DID want to share with you from yesterday’s sermon was this awesome clip that I’m sure some of you have seen, but it really did impact me. As I go on this journey of writing, of letting down my guard and being open and vulnerable to criticism, I must remember it’s all part of the journey. Sometimes to stand up, you must first fall. Sometimes to be a good winner, you have to know what it feels like to be the looser. As the saying goes, when at first you fail, try, try again!

I think this is an appropriate post too as we come into the 2009 writing contest season. *grin*

I’d love to hear from people on how YOU overcome your failures. Anything recent happen that really got you down in the dumps? What helped??

-krista
reflectionsbykrista.blogspot.com