Failing, But Still Fighting

Failure is not getting back up.

Failure is staying down.

Failure is not grabbing the bar and going again, ever.

You can fail, and not be a failure. 

Huh?

Failure is an end state – a finality, an acceptance of failing. But as long as you're still trying, you're not a failure.

Wait. Isn't that splitting hairs?

No, not if you accept the path to success as a series of failures whereby you try and fail and learn, and try and fail and learn, and then do better and achieve. On that path, failing is a frequent and necessary stop. But failure is not the end destination.

Failures are things, and they're people who got off the train of improvement. Failures are people who got tired of getting back up. We can understand that. It's hard to try and fail. Really flippin' hard. Whether it's in the gym or in your relationships or in your work, failing sucks. It's an attack on your mind and your body. It hurts your spirit.

But, like muscle soreness after a hard workout, failing is a great sign that you're alive and you're doing something.

Failure is when you stop doing something.

Don't be one of those people. Know when you have to stop for the day but come back to fight again tomorrow.

Always keep fighting.