Failure and what it isn't

Our Western culture places a premium on success.

Success being defined as coming in first, as in monetary gain or public appeal.

In the interest of helping provide some clarification on the subject, let's take a look at five things that failure isn't.

Failure isn't the opposite of success.

If success means to achieve a goal, then failure isn't the reverse of that.

The corporate-business world may define failure this way. But not reaching an intended result can also be part of a learning process that ultimately achieves something bigger.

Failure on the first attempt doesn't rule out eventual success.

God's Son set the perfect example for this. At first glance, Jesus' ministry seemed like a total failure. He alienated the religious powers-that-be. These leaders ultimately worked with the political power-holders of the time to have him crucified. As if that weren't enough, God's Son suffered a very public, painful and humiliating death by being crucified.

After Good Friday (the day of the crucifixion) the apostles, a select group Jesus had nurtured for three years, went into hiding in fear and confusion. They didn't have a clue as to what was going to happen next and it didn't feel like any sort of revival was going to happen anytime soon.

Not meeting a goal isn't necessarily a failure.

In the business world companies set goals. These goals are meant to encourage workers to produce more goods and services. But what happens when quality, integrity and honesty are sacrificed in the rush to make a profit (in order to be considered successful)?

There have been many industries (i.e. automotive, financial and real estate to name a few) that have suffered greatly because of a short-sighted focus on the "bottom line."

If winning means beating the competition, maybe we need to redefine winning.

During the settling of the United States, the application of the principle of Manifest Destiny caused great harm, even though it had widespread appeal. Native Americans and other groups were literally pushed out of the way in a greedy desire to grab as much profit as possible. Lands were snatched up with no thought of compensation. 

At the time it was considered doing business as usual. Was that really success?

Much harm has been done by God-fearing folk who fear being seen as failures.

There's a saying that history is written by the winners. With 'winners' being defined as those who beat the competition. Maybe we need to take a second look at history through the eyes of those who were trampled upon and never made it to the finish line.

There are tremendous emotional, psychological and physiological costs from defining success only in terms of material gain. 

Am I saying we should toss all goals out the window? No. Am I saying that making a profit is an inherently bad thing? No.

But the motivation behind goal-making is important. As well as how profits are actually made.

Here's a final thought. After spending about a month hiding in the Upper Room, a small group of Jesus' followers opened the door and began spreading the Good News. When they did, this group eventually changed the world. Starting from a position of being seen as total failures.

What do you think? I'm curious to hear from you!

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