Self-improvement (2): Why You Should Fail
Last week, we explored why many fail in the journey of self-improvement even though they have a good intention. For a quick flashback, check this out.
Aaron
This week, we focus on the power of failing once you have started. Maybe some day you'd experience transformation like Jia Ling did.
Failing Forward
In the grand adventure of self-improvement, failing to you is as inevitable as Thanos to the Avengers. But there’s something invaluable you can gain in failing forward aside from sweats, tears and laughter. So, why don't you make failing your new hobby and conquer whatever obstacle lies ahead?
Welcome to the ultimate guide of failing forward, where every and each misstep is a part of the path to success.
Learning Lessons
Remember last week we concluded that the only real failure is not trying at all? Once you've started, you should recognize that fail is a verb, an action, a part of the process. It involves ongoing effort, trials and errors, and it's not a permanent status or an endgame — well, unless we're talking about the Avengers.
Consider the Avengers' comeback against Thanos in Endgame. It wasn't their superpowers or the Rocket Raccoon's witty one-liners, (those certainly helped) that saved the universe. It was the fact that they failed, reassembled, and tried again. They didn't beat Thanos on their first try (or even the second). It took a time heist, a few sacrifices, and a whole lot of failing before Iron Man could snap his fingers to victory. Each setback, each failure, was a lesson learned, a new strategy formed. Thor's 'shoulda gone for the head' reminds us the fact that as superhuman as they were, they had to confront and embrace failure as a step forward. In essence, failure is the best teacher, especially when it slaps you in the face with a fish.
Building Resilience & Perseverance
Superheroes are not the only ones who learn from failures. In the film YOLO, Jia Ling transformed from a fatty unemployed homebody to a lean and muscular boxer with shredded abs. The secret behind weight loss is simple: consume fewer calories than you burn over a relatively long period of time. Put simply, eat less, move more. Yet, despite all the calorie counting, dieting, and exercising, many fail to slim down and often rebound. So, what set Jia Ling apart from the rest?
What's YOLO?
An acronym for you only live once: used to encourage people to do things that are enjoyable and exciting, even if they are silly and slightly risky.
It turned out to be resilience and perseverance. Jia Ling's jaw-dropping weight loss journey (over 50kg over a span of 6 months) stands as a beacon of hope and sarcasm amidst the sea of abandoned New Year’s resolutions and ditched diet plans.
Physical Transformation
Her transformation wasn’t a straight line but a series of comedic missteps, trials and errors, and most importantly, learning from each fall. With every failed attempt, she didn't just get back up, but bounced back with stronger-than-last-time determination (deadlifting 120 kg, seriously?). She's willing to take more than a few punches, literally and figuratively, making her setbacks part of her routine. Her story taught us a lesson: resilience and perseverance aren’t born from victory, but forged in the fires of 'MF, I finally did it' and 'Oops, I did it again'.
Boosting Confidence
Jia Ling's high intensity fitness regime not only slimmed her down, but also sculpted confidence and elegance in her, as seen in this striking before-and-after photo. From being betrayed by her bestie to saying no to the boxing coach, her transformation is a powerful illustration of how physical discipline can reshape not just our bodies but our self-esteem.
The road to self-improvement is littered with hurdles, but jumping over them doesn’t just get us to the finish line. It makes us realize we have legs strong enough to leap. Overcoming these challenges, like maintaining a consistent blog posting schedule during Spring Festival, fills us (me) with a sense of accomplishment – the 'I can do that' sort. This positive reinforcement fuels our drive to continue, and then keeps the momentum of progress.
As we reflect on Jia Ling's story, let's consider our own paths. Identify a challenge you face and commit to one action, however small, towards overcoming it. Remember, each step forward, each hurdle crossed, not only brings us closer to our goals but builds the confidence and determination that define our character.
When you conquer a difficulty and look back, what once seemed impossible now becomes evidence of your hard work and perseverance. Let's embrace our challenges, and fail forward towards the better version of ourselves.
Journey of Self-discovery and Self-fulfillment
According to Jia Ling, the film YOLO is not about weight loss at all. It was about discovering who she could be when she pushed beyond the laughter and the naysayers. This mirrors our own journey of self-discovery and self-improvement. Step out of your comfort zone. Fail often. Fail forward. Embrace each stumble as an opportunity to learn something new about yourself. It's in these moments of vulnerability and challenge that we truly find out what we're made of.
In this journey, learn to silence the doubters – both around us and within us. Self-fulfillment comes from pursuing what makes us feel alive, challenged, and ultimately, satisfied with our own personal growth. It's about rewriting our narrative, one failure, one success, and one laugh at a time.
We learn lessons from movies, books, feedback, and others. BUT we learn lessons best from our own failures. Failing teaches resilience, adaptability, and the art of crafting a good excuse on the fly. But more than that, it teaches you about what doesn’t work, which, in a roundabout way, edges you closer to what does.
It's like dating – you've got to kiss a few frogs before you find someone who's less amphibian and more like Prince Charming. So, whether you're trying to shed some kilos, improving language skills or building your own business, failure is your secret weapon.
PS: I intentionally forgot to buy my wife flowers last Valentine's Day and she pissed off for quite a while. Today, with a rose & tulip bouquet, she takes care of our baby girl, which buys me some time to finish this blog post.
Wow, learning from failures not just on paper but in real life!
Happy Valentine's Day to all! ❤️
