Failure Means Proximity to Success

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize

how close they were to success when they gave up."

Thomas Edison

Doesn't Thomas Edison's quote inspire you to move forward on your projects?!

This last week Ashley Stahl, an online businesswoman, emailed her followers to say,

"Success chewed me up and spit me out these past couple of months."

I responded back, applauding her ability to be vulnerable, open, and honest.

One of my "callings" in life (that I did not anticipate would be my calling) is to help people be okay with being vulnerable. Scratch that, actually, because I don't want us to just be "okay" with our weakness; I yearn for us to be proud of our vulnerability. That's one thing that we ALL have, weakness, so in a way it's one of the great unify-ers of mankind.

Being vulnerable means being open to less than perfect. Business books push for perfection, Forbes rewards perfect businesses, but I find myself admiring the less-than-perfect entrepreneurs who do all they can, without the need to appear perfect from the outside.

Seeing an email like Ashley's gave me a lot of hope (ironic, yes?) because my little business ventures often hit bottom. It's hard because we don't often see the positive impact of our work with online businesses - we tend to only see what doesn't work.

There is an inner strength that people see when we're being authentic, genuine, and vulnerable. It's not an obvious strength, but for those with eyes to see, it is obvious.

In what ways can you be more authentic with your clients, followers, donors, or co-workers? What benefits do you see coming from being more vulnerable and real with those around you?

Destiny Yarbro

8 Aug 2016

Prescott, Arizona

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