I don't know the key to success

.....but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.

~Bill Cosby

Why does one struggle with feeling like a failure? If you were the only person on earth, would you feel like a failure? Probably not. You wouldn't have anyone to compare yourself to. No one to feel like you constantly have to please and satisfy.

Failure is a big thing for me. I'm not entirely sure why, but it's a struggle I'm all too familiar with. Not failing so much as feeling like a failure. Any little mistake and my emotions plummet to feeling like a complete idiot and totally inadequate. I say one wrong thing, make one wrong look, use the wrong tone, or whatever, and I start beating myself up about it.

Our emotions do not define who we are though. No matter how much of a failure I feel like, I'm still not one. How can one be a failure when they are complete in Christ? Our identity in Him is not being a failure. That doesn't even fit in the equation.

Most 'failures' aren't failures really, anyways. They're simply building blocks to strengthen and deepen our growth in the Lord. Failure is defined as 'lack of success'. But, is it really a lack of success if you have learned and grown from your mistakes?

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.

~Thomas Edison

Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.

~Henry Ford

I think if we would keep that perspective, accept who we are in Christ, and keep that mentality, messing up wouldn't be quite as horrible an experience.