Personal Growth: If You Have To Fall, Fall Forward!
© 2009 Peter Loughlin
I recently started reading Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor’s book My Stroke of Insight about her stroke, recovery and the discovery of herself. (I highly recommend it). In the early chapters Jill, a Harvard Medical School brain scientist, explains how there is less than a 1% difference in each or our DNA structure.
That impressed me. Think about it for a moment such a minute difference, percentage wise and yet we are all different-based upon insignificant variations. As awesome as our individual uniqueness is, today I want to focus on and speak to you about how alike we really are, that is, about the 99+% we all share.
Irrespective of where you are right now or where you have come from, sooner or later obstacles and hardship will come your way and at times you’re going to fall. That is as true of me as it is for you and everyone on the planet. So when you fall, be sure to make sure you fall forward.
Yes, I know that it may seem odd for me, The Possibility Guy, to point out such a seemingly negative aspect of life but I’m really not being negative here at all. My friends, we are all faced with obstacles and challenges in life and no one gets a pass. The rain falls on the just and unjust.
One of my favorite motivational speakers, Les Brown likes to think of this as life’s “Messenger of Misery” and he half jokingly warns his audiences that “sooner or later the ‘Messenger of Misery’ will come knocking at your door.”
But it’s never as bad as it seems. You see, when misery comes knocking it never comes alone. Misery always brings opportunity along whenever it makes a visit-but you have to be looking for it.
Napoleon Hill put it another way. He said “every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed on an equal or greater benefit.”
I used feel overwhelmed with life’s challenges, obstacles, heartaches and yes, misery too. But now I’m careful to look for the benefit and opportunity to grow. It’s always there.
All of us will stumble and fall in this life from time-to time. When it happens to you, remember to fall forward-opportunity will be there to catch you.
So, what do you think?
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This is a great post. The falling forward concept reminds me of the trust fall. Even though you fall backwards in the trust fall, you have to trust that your friend will be there to catch you. These concepts of falling forward or backward will help one to overcome the urge to do nothing when one is overcome with anxiety (you know, the deer-in-the-headlights effect). Thanks for finding me on Twitter!
Jessica’s last blog post..As without, so within?
I didn’t even realize the connection to the trust fall untill you mentioned it, but its so true, isn’t it. And, thinking about your comments on overcoming the urge to do nothing when one is overcome with anxiety, etc., I immediately think of Susan Jeffers and her Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway book — words to live by. See you on twitter (and FB?)
Cheers
I love the philosophy you express in this blog post. I was fortunate to be raised by parents who taught me to look for silver linings in every bad situation. Understanding this hasn’t made me immune to trials, but it has made me see each one as an opportunity. Thanks for reminding me of this important perspective.