How many times did it take Edison to make the light bulb? I don’t think even he could answer that.
How many attempts have there been to find a cure for cancer? Hundreds.
How many businesses start as one business proposition but end up as something completely different? Many. One recent case in point is Groupon, which started off as business, which was not working and turning into the highly successful Groupon.
One of the most commonplace attitudes in the UK is that of how ‘failure’ is somehow negative, that because an individual has got off their ass, has chased a dream, a vision or a business idea and it did not work out results in that individual becoming less of a person.
The population of the UK loves programmes like ‘The Apprentice’, ‘Dragon’s Den’ and ‘The X Factor’. We love our heroes, the one’s who make it and, even more so, we celebrate the one’s who ‘fail’. There is no celebration of the fact that they have actually attempted to chase their dream, no, they simply ‘fail’!
Perhaps, deep down our failure parties are more reflective of a common conscience, one that hates to see the success of other people, because we so desire to be out of our own personal financial situations and ‘living the dream’, but we haven’t got the balls to do it. So, we scoff at those who try to elevate themselves and ultimately fall. These are the ones who thought they would be clever, who thought that they were better than ‘us’, but they came to a realisation that they failed and fell back down to Earth with a massive and painful bang. For that reason we place them lower than ‘us’.
We are proud of the Lord Sugar’s, the Branson’s, the Peter Jones’ and the Duncan Bannatyne’s and yet we fail to realise that in many of these cases it is their failure that helped them to refine their process and ultimately become a success. Indeed, the Branson’s of tomorrow will not appear one day with an overnight, triumphant success, it does not happen. The Branson’s of tomorrow will have a list of failures to their name and it is their perceived failures which will help them to refine their success.
Personally, I have had one relative success which gained a bit of attention and a handful of awards, in the grand scheme of things it is not much, but it is a start. I have had many more ‘failures’ and, undoubtedly, there will be more to come. Now, I am not saying that I will ever become a Branson. But, what I know for sure is that I will never look back on my life and wonder ‘what if?’
The greatest tragedy is this. We may find a cure for cancer quicker, we may discover life changing inventions faster, we may grow bigger companies which will be able to bring increased employment opportunities that will get this Country out of a difficult financial period, if only some would not be so afraid of failing and would simply give their dream a shot. It is this fear of failure which is, indeed, the biggest failure of all.
It may not be your first idea that is successful, it doesn’t matter. Your first, second or third dream may fail. However, what I have learnt is that true success takes ‘blood, sweat and years’ and it is a consistency in these three areas that will turn your failures into successes changing your life and the lives of many more.
Greatly said Mr. Bowness
Couldn´t agree more.
“Nothing in the world can take
the place of persistence. Talent
will not; nothing is more
common than unsuccessful men
with talent. Genius will not;
unrewarded genius is almost a
proverb. Education will not;
the world is full of educated
derelicts. Persistence and
determination alone are
omnipotent.”
10% inspiration 90% sweating
That´s why I keep rocking!
Nice one dude, I love that quote from Calvin Coolidge – one of my favourites! Keep rockin’ dude and wll be in touch soon!
Mark, really good blog post. You are certainly someone who has been there, worked hard, have not seen the fruits of your labour just yet and yet, despite the bruises along the way you keep going. That is what I admire in you the most. Keep going young man.
Thank you Joe, much appreciated!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by True Blood Tweets, Mark Bowness. Mark Bowness said: New blog post: True success takes 'Blood, Sweat & Years'. – http://tinyurl.com/28nktop [...]
I like this a lot Bowness!
Thank you buddy – much appreciated