6 ZIG-ZAGS OF FAILURE AND RECOVERY
“Good sailors know how to tack their way across water. The zig-zag costs time but it is an effective tool for the skilled navigator.”
Failure is Real Beyond the Spin
The phenomenon of failure evades definition. In our modern age we tend to spin and repackage life events in such a way that we do not feel badly about lost time or lost investments. We usually chalk it up to a “lesson learned.” I don’t disagree. We need ways to couch the harsh realities of life and enable us to try again. The best advice we have today is to “fail fast” and “fail forward.” Both are good sentiments in the right context.
Failure is real. Let me say that again… There is a real thing called failure, and it is simply to set a goal and to be unable to reach it, not due to circumstances, but due to our own shortcomings, unpreparedness, or outright weakness. Maybe we just attempted something too far beyond our reach. Failure is not just a state of mind. Failure is quantifiable and can be observed empirically. Don’t be fooled by the spin.
What makes failure happen? Let’s itemize a few ideas:
A Disproportionate Sense of Self-Confidence
Well golly, that seems harsh! Look, it’s time for a reality check, as we say. Mom and Dad meant well when then told us we were amazing. The free market, however, may not fully agree. Yes, there are outlier stories of less-than-impressive individuals who succeed solely on the basis of hard work and will-power.
Mostly, that is not the case. Mostly, people who have not found their niche in this world absolutely fail. Self-confidence is critical - this is without debate - but it is possible to have more belief in oneself than good sense. You need to know how you compare to actual others competing for actual attention (jobs, opportunities, resources, etc.). Pursue hard realities.
An Unreasonable Trust in God
This is a touchy one, I know. We want to believe that God will cover for us; that the Universal Intelligence will take up the slack for us. We would like to be able to rely more on forgiveness than on skill or quality, to make our way in this world. That’s not how it works.
A sailor on an Ocean must learn to navigate and use the wind and waves to the advantage of the ship. The sailor may talk to the Ocean, curse the Ocean, beg the Ocean, and at the end of the day be keenly aware of the skill needed to sail that omniscient Ocean. God will help you the way the Ocean helps you. Learn to sail.
A Bad Sense of Timing
What is timing? Okay, I’m going to take a swag at this mystery. It is an innate knowledge to recognize and capitalize on the best present opportunity using ready resources, from the past and present, to expect and profit from future happenings. It’s fucking time-travel.
What does “innate knowledge” mean? It means being able to recognize patterns, either taught or experienced, which fulfill and expected result. Timing is an advanced form of cause-&-effect analysis, combined with pure courage of action.
When you don’t have a good sense of timing it means one of three things:
You have not cultivated the pattern matching mechanism.
You have not accumulated expendable resources.
You have no courage.
Deal with it.
Advice From People Who Are Unarrived
I heard a great saying from a wealthy man once. He simply said, “Don’t let people manage your money who have less money than you.” While that is great advice, it’s hard to find. The people who are really successful do not tend to want to advise or give back without a substantial fee, which we who need their help cannot afford. It’s a conundrum.
Books are an amazing medium. They contain wisdom that is unavailable apart from knowing the writer. Our failure is not in what we do not know, but in the laziness we have inherited from those who also do not know. The wisdom is available if we choose to pursue it. Here is the rule: Gold is not usually on top of the ground, it has to be dug from dirt and rock in discomfort.
Underestimating the Slippage of Time
Finally, and possibly most importantly, long-lasting failure is inextricably linked to the disrespect of time. We know all the words regarding why time is important - it cannot be replaced or replenished, its effects cannot be reversed, it cannot be reasoned with, and the memory of its passing is unrelenting.
The power of compounding effect is likewise unconquerable. A simple monthly investment in an account returning a reasonable rate of return can accumulate impressive wealth when consistent contributions to the fund compound (principal+interest^interest) over time. The lesser the time to compound, the less the accumulation. Compound benefit is empowered by the respect for time upon time.
Recovery from Zig-Zag
A zig-zag is often necessary and may not lead to a failure. Good sailors know how to tack their way across water. Tacking is a zig-zag maneuver which captures contrary wind in the sails. The zig-zag costs time but it is an effective tool for the skilled navigator. Adjust your sails. Employ tacking. You will make up for lost time when the wind is at your back.
