Do your ideas ever see the light of day?
Do you find yourself drowning in indecisiveness as to whether your idea is “good” or not? One minute you think it’s an amazing idea, the next minute you find yourself second guessing it. You spend days, weeks, months, maybe even years, going back and forth with it.Â
Sadly, you end up putting it to the side, and it gathers dust with the rest of your abandoned dreams. And honestly … that’s just not okay.
I dare you to have more “Failed attempts” than abandoned dreams.
Why? Because you will never know with 100% certainty whether an idea will work or not, and that shouldn’t hold you back from making things happen.
As far as I’m concerned, failure is inevitable.
So let’s go against the status quo here, and let go of the outcome of our idea. In other words, let’s let go of the obsessive need to know with certainty whether it will “succeed” or “fail”.
Instead, let’s look at the actual value of the experience itself.
Because whether your idea is a huge success or a massive failure – is there not immense value in the experience of it?
We get so turned off by the idea of failing, that paralysis takes over and we end up doing nothing.
But as far as I’m concerned, I would rather fail than do nothing.
Even if an idea doesn’t work out the way I want it to, its purpose in my life might have been to teach me a greater, far more valuable lesson than success ever could. And isn’t that worth it?Â
That’s why it is my intention to have far more “failed attempts” than abandoned dreams.
Because abandoned dreams? They leave me with nothing.
At least the failed attempts leave me stronger and wiser than I ever was before.
So as you decide whether or not to move forward with your idea, remember this:
Failure does not define us, it prepares us for what’s next on the journey. It is a stepping stone that leads us closer. Be proud of your failures, they will lead you to success if you let them.
With love,
Alex
P.S. According to my recent survey, most of you on my VIP List want to start your businesses, but haven’t yet. This post is *especially* for YOU!
I agree. Success lies on the other side of, atleast one failure, if not many.
Looking forward to the newsletter training in March.
Ivan Siladji
http://www.ivansiladji.com
These were the words I needed to hear today! I am ever so grateful for you writing and sharing this today!
I have been struggling with whether or not to do so many things. Money plays a huge role in my decisions.
You said, “I would rather fail than do nothing”.
I will keep saying that over and over in my head.
I appreciate all of your words and you really tap into what many of us are thinking.
Great post. Needed to hear this today.
Thank you Alex. I have some emails to send.
”Be proud of your failures”, best line ever!
I agree. Failure is nothing more then research.
Another great post. I love to get your positive minded news. They always get it to the point and help me to gain confidence in what I’m doing …. by the way I’m from Austria … so your personal brand has gone far 🙂 thank you Alex!
Thank you Alex, I REALLY needed to read this today. I have so much fear towards starting up my online business, that it’s overwhelming, and has kept me from starting for MONTHS! After reading this I am going to force myself to take one small action towards my goal TODAY. Much love!!
How did you get inside my head like that?
Wow, your blog is exactly what I needed today.
I’m trying to do as you say in regards to control. You can’t control what is to become, so think towards your next step and it will appear. It is working so far….cause there you are, letting me know it’s o.k. to take an idea and run with it. Just the issue I was struggling with.
Thanks Alex.
Love it. I’ve recently started actually following this notion and life is better.
Thanks for that Alex. Such wise words from a beautiful person.
Now I need to put your advice into practice.
I know this is a little weird, but this really resonated with me: When I read this post, I couldn’t help but think of the quote from Batman Begins, “Why do we fall down? To learn how to pick ourselves up.” This came at a really great time in my life. Thanks Alex!!!
Great post Alex, thank you! x
2015 has been called ‘the year of big changes’ so I better get started! 🙂
YESSSS! I wanted to share with you Alex that I was so nervous to start my blog at the start of my Feel Good Blogging journey… but your videos guided me through the whole process. Now, after only five blog posts, i have had 1000 unique visitors to my blog! (I don’t even have that many facebook friends!) I’m blown away! But the best part is I am having an absolute ball the whole time no matter how many people were reading. I just think to myself that success is about how much fun you’re having along the way. And I am having a blast!
Thankyou so much for sending me this email! Your blog is exactly what I needed ! I think I will be uploading a lot of new posts from now on. lease could you comment on my blog at http://aryasblg.weebly.com/ .
Thanks
To Alex,
Thankyou so much for sending me this email! Your blog is exactly what I needed ! I think I will be uploading a lot of new posts from now on. please could you comment again on my blog at http://aryasblg.weebly.com/ .
Thanks for your previous comment ! You are my all time favourite blogger Alex! You words are so inspirational!
From Aryaxxx
I have waited to start my business till I knew I’d have time for it.. I was worried that if I put myself out there that I’d get too much business, or worse, no one would like my work and I’d have no business. I started putting myself out there this month.. no business yet, but I’m hoping it’s because it’s different and it takes some getting used to before it takes off. 🙂 I enjoyed your post, especially because a lot of what I do is experimental, and some things will work and some things won’t, but that’s okay.. It’s a journey. It’s fun to look at myself a year ago, and three years ago and see how far I’ve come. I’ve still got a long ways to go, but I shouldn’t wait till I’m perfect to get moving. For any one interested, Check out my facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/acreationofdreams?ref=bookmarks
Loved this post! It reminded me of something Brene Brown wrote in her book Daring Greatly. She interviewed Gretchen Rubin (of The Happiness Project) and asked her how she managed perfection. Her answer was perfect: “I remind myself, ‘Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.’ A twenty minute walk that I do is better than a four mile run that I don’t do. The imperfect book that gets published is better than the perfect book that never leaves my computer. The dinner party of take-out Chinese food is better than the elegant dinner that I never host.”
Thank you Alex!
These are the words I needed to here! I love the inspirational quote, it is going to go on my wall so I can read it everyday! 🙂
Wow, this couldn’t have come to my inbox on a better day. After years of putting of many abandoned ideas, today I had invited my new partner in business over to finally start our new business.
We were having a break and stretching our legs when I checked my emails and the topic caught my eye. I read it allowed for both of us to take it in and we were gobsmacked that it was exactly what we had just been talking about.
Reading your email newsletter today was the final “sign” that we are on a good thing and its time to start our new business, no regrets!!
Wish us luck.
Thanx Alex for your inspiration 🙂
Love Kt
This was a really great post Alex, thanks for sharing!
I was actually talking about this feeling last night with friends, especially with self directed work, I will think something is a great idea one minute and have lots of motivation for it, and the next day I completely doubt it and start wondering if I am just wasting time and money continuing with it! I am actually trying, as a sort of a new years resolution, to get a lot better at either leaving ideas that really aren’t working near the start, or seeing them through, and like you said, trying not to obsess about the ‘result’.
Anyway, thank you!
– Holly
x
Love the fact that every word of the post is radiating Positive energy, i always find your Work amazing,
I love the positive attitude you always have and i’m into photography as well so hope you find success and as always influence other people with your positivity/creativity.
This post was huge for me!
“We get so turned off by the idea of failing, that paralysis takes over and we end up doing nothing.”
That has been me for the past decade! I’m so over it.
“Because abandoned dreams? They leave me with nothing.
At least the failed attempts leave me stronger and wiser than I ever was before.”
That hit me like a ton of bricks. Why am I so afraid to fail if I still get something out of it? But if I do nothing, I get nothing. Suddenly failure doesn’t seem so scary anymore.
Thank you, Alex!
This is exactly what I needed right now! 🙂 Thanks Alex!
Brilliant! Thank you… I’m going to print this out and stick it on my wall as a reminder 🙂 xx
Hey Alex,
I feel like I need a “mini-you” to come sit with me and help straighten my life out. I stumbled across one of your vids on youtube and it was very helpful. My life is so mismanaged and disorganized. Im so stressed. What’s the best way to get info from you? Thanks in advance for your time!
This is quickly becoming a focus for me this year. I’ve been paralyzed by my fear of failure for so long. I’ve actually secluded myself from people and not done things that I wanted to do due to this fear. It’s time for that to stop. Thank you for the encouragement, it really hit home.
“That’s why it is my intention to have far more “failed attempts” than abandoned dreams.
Because abandoned dreams? They leave me with nothing.
At least the failed attempts leave me stronger and wiser than I ever was before.”
This is money!! I’ve been going back and forth on whether or not to give my idea a really good go of it and really try to get it off the ground, but I find myself flip flopping between YES I CAN DO THIS, and BAAH ITS NOT EVEN WORTH IT.
Thank you for another wise and insightful post, and a little push towards making the right choice, because a failed attempt, is not failure.
Xoxo
This article helps to kick our back especially for those with so many ideas but so little guts to push forward or have self-limiting beliefs. More kick-ass articles needed to help us propel forwards. Really love this article. Thanks Alex, I feel weird when your articles never arrive on time. That’s how much I look forward.
A really nice spin on it 🙂 Love your bright perspective!
I love this, Alex. Really well said and well poised
“let go of the outcome of our idea. In other words, let’s let go of the obsessive need to know with certainty whether it will “succeed” or “fail”.”
<3
This has been a frequent thought lately. I’ve been so down about failure that I forget that failing forced me to think about my approach. Not only that, but failure reminded me of how necessary it is to fail.
Thanks Alex!
Thanks Alex! You always seem to post about topics when I’m in need of inspiration and motivation xx
Wow, Alex! This spoke to me like you have no idea:
“That’s why it is my intention to have far more “failed attempts” than abandoned dreams.”
This is my new mantra.