Winston Churchill said it best: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts”.

We tend to think that where we are right now is where we are going to remain. It’s as if each new stage of life we flow through is the arrival point. We sometimes forget how far we have come, or in some cases, reverted to.  Regardless of which side of the fence you are on, this is not your final destination.

Unless this moment, this breath, becomes your very last one, tomorrow will be the first day of the rest of your life.

I have heard people say, “failure is not an option.”  Well, unfortunately, it is. Failure means we tried, and the outcome fell short of the expectation. Sometimes we fail because we don’t work hard, prepare, study, or stay disciplined in a particular area. Once in a while, efforts fail because of circumstances beyond our control.

Failure is always an option.

Failure, in of itself, is not fatal. It’s merely a fumble, and although it may come with a penalty, you generally aren’t kicked off the team for dropping the ball. You might not make MVP, you may need to rethink your passing game, but surely you will get back on the field for another go at it.

So it is with success. Many successful people feel as if they have arrived. They worked hard, achieved milestones, created legacies, or became great philanthropists. On paper, they have a grade of A++, but it still isn’t final. Life can, and has, thrown many a sure-footed person off course in the blink of an eye.

What truly endures is the pressing on, the courage to continue.

It helps to realize that one has not arrived, nor let down anchor, but that life is fluid, changing daily. Once we understand this, it can springboard us into action, enabling us to keep moving forward regardless of the framework we see around our current picture.

Whether our circumstances are what we desire or in need of dire improvement, the choice is ours to make: stay still or keep moving.  Even if you are on the right track, you will eventually get run over by a train if you stay there.

Developing the skills to encourage yourself, and remind yourself, that your failures and fumbles are not fatal turns them into learning experiences and valuable content for life’s playbook.

Touchdown!