With her national flag tied to her cane, Hulda Crooks, age 91, climbed the 12,388 feet of Mt. Fuji. She didn’t let her age, fear of failure or risk get in her way. Teiichi Igarashi, 99 years old, conquered the same Mount Fuji in 1986.
You may not be in your nineties. You may not want to climb mountains. But, you have goals. A goal is, ‘a future event which is desirable and accomplishable’. You have to want it, then work towards it.
When you set a goal, follow SCRAM (Specific, Consistent, Reasonable, Attainable, and Measurable). When your goal fits this criteria, you are ready to begin.
The only thing holding you back is your own fear. Proverbs 22:13 puts it this way, “The lazy man says, “there is a lion outside! I shall be slain in in the streets!” We often give up our potential accomplishment due to the fear of failure. Yet, we are not remembered for our failures, but for our successes.
James Benson Irwin isn’t remembered for his failures. He is not remembered for the flying accident where he broke his jaw and both legs. He is also not remembered for the therapy required to regain his memory. He is not remembered for being rejected from the astronaut training program four times. He had many life threatening challenges, but James Benson Irwin is not remembered for his failures. He is remembered for overcoming them and being the eighth man to walk on the moon.
You may not want to walk on the moon or climb Mount Fuji, but you do have dreams and goals. The best part is you can accomplish them. Don’t stop trying just because you don’t want to fail. Failure is normal, we all experience it. The challenge is to go beyond failure to accomplishment.
Brand Lomenick, The Catalyst Leader said, “Never be afraid to charge a hill, overcome an obstacle, or maneuver around a hurdle that keeps you from achieving what you believe God is calling you to.”
Or, look to Caleb who in his senior years said to Joshua, “Now therefore, give me this mountain” Joshua 14:12.
Leadership is seeking God; first in prayer, scripture and then as we set our goals.
Yours in Service,
Laurie D. Kennedy
Leadership Coach