Friday Motivation

Posted by Ethan Dickinson on 17 May 2024, 18:40 SAST

Mistakes and failures are a part of life. Not only are they natural,  they are vital. They are the building blocks of success and the stepping stones to greatness. Your life should not be controlled by the fear of making mistakes or the fear of failure. It’s not about avoiding failure, it’s about embracing it when it comes and learning from it.

Don’t let the fear of looking foolish stop you from pushing forward toward your goal. Remember, the people who achieve the most in life are the ones who have the guts to fall, get back up and keep on moving.

When you fall—and you will fall—know this: it’s not the fall that defines you, it’s how you rise that matters. Picking yourself up after a setback takes heart and hustle. Each mistake is a lesson in disguise, a mentor showing you the way forward. Celebrate the fact that you had the guts to try because just by trying, you’re already ahead of most people.

Failures and setbacks can shake your confidence, but don’t let them. Don’t let the low moments define you or knock your self-esteem. Refuse to let them break your spirit. Speak life into yourself. Your words are powerful, and the way you talk to yourself shapes your reality. Cultivate a mindset that sees setbacks as temporary and surmountable. You are not your mistakes; you are a champion who overcomes them.

Shift your focus from just the goal in front of you and focus your energy on enjoying the journey at hand. Love the grind, the hustle, the process. When you fall in love with the journey, every step you take becomes significant, and every struggle won builds your strength. The excitement of progress, no matter how small, will keep your fire burning.

Building success habits is the key to turning setbacks into comebacks. Establish routines that keep you disciplined and growing. Start your day with purpose: set clear, achievable goals and attack them with everything you’ve got. Reflect on your progress, learn from it, and adjust your game plan. Build resilience through physical fitness, mental clarity, regular rest and healthy living.

This quote from retired Navy Seal, Jocko Willink, really captures the spirit of getting up and fighting on in the face of adversity.

“You are going to fail. And you’re going to fail. And you’re going to fail. And you’re going to fail. And then . . . you’re going to win. And that’s life.

Life without those challenges, it’s just existence. Don’t just exist. Go live. Eventually inaction will cost you. But your default setting should be, “I’m gonna go do something.” Just get up, move toward that challenge and go attack it.

Go do something that’s hard. Struggle sucks. But it depends on how you frame it. If you want to have freedom in your life then you have to have discipline.

Move toward that challenge, whatever that challenge is. And you may be successful and you may not be successful. But you will be better. And then the next challenge? You are gonna be more prepared for.

Because, we’re gonna have wins and we’re gonna have losses. We’re gonna have successes, we’re gonna have failures. We’re gonna have good nights, we’re gonna have bad nights. We’re going to have good relationships, we’re going to have bad relationships. We’re gonna have good ideas and bad ideas. We’re gonna make money, we’re gonna lose money. All these things are going to happen.

And if you oscillate emotionally up and down drastically, it’s going to be problematic.

Embrace those emotions, but don’t let those emotions embrace you.

Keep pushing through things that suck.

This is a very difficult thing to do because it hurts.

I’m gonna go forward. I’m not gonna quit, so I’m gonna go forward. Bring it on!”

-Jocko Willink


Remember, success isn’t a final destination; it’s a journey of relentless, determined action. Embrace each day knowing that every effort, no matter how small, is a step forward. Celebrate your resilience, treasure your progress, and above all, believe in your ability to rise, again and again.

You’ve got greatness within you. Now go out and unleash it!