Failure Doesn’t Have to Have the Last Word
I was doing a little autumn cleaning today - clearing shelves, rearranging our book collections, dusting, etc. I lingered longer with the books that are “older” because they never cease to touch me on some level.
I did more than just linger when I came across one of my favorites, Words to Live By (Copyright 1947-1957). This golden oldie is a collection of writings by some of the wisest men and women of the time. This afternoon, I sat down with it and a cup of coffee and re-read some of the articles.
I thought you’d get a lot out of this particular article, so I’m going to type it in for you. Enjoy!
Failure Isn’t Fatal
by The Reverend James Keller, M.M.
Author of “You Can Change the World”
Too often, it seems to me, people lose their courage in facing life because of past failures or fear that they may fail in the future.
One good way to cure such fears is to remember the story of a man who actually built a lifetime of accomplishments out of defeats. The following litany of failures that punctuated his life throughout thirty years is a living and eloquent example of the successful use of defeat in achieving victory.
Abraham Lincoln’s record is as follows:
- Lost job 1832
- Defeated for legislature 1832
- Failed in business 1833
- Elected to legislature 1834
- Sweetheart died 1835
- Had nervous breakdown 1836
- Defeated for speaker 1838
- Defeated for nomination for Congress 1843
- Elected to Congress 1846
- Lost renomination 1848
- Rejected for land officer 1849
- Defeated for Senate 1854
- Defeated for nomination for Vice-President 1856
- Again defeated for Senate 1858
- Elected President 1860
Lincoln’s deep conviction that God had given him a mission to fulfill accounted in no small way for his deep humility and ability to push on in the face of difficulties and failures that would have discouraged most people.
His abiding faith was well summed up in this comment which he made after becoming President: “God selects His own instruments, and sometimes they are queer ones; for instance, He chose me to steer the ship through a great crisis.”
You, too, in God’s providence can be an instrument in bringing His love, truth and peace to a world in urgent need of it.
And with Abraham Lincoln, you too can learn to say, “With God’s help I shall not fail.”
Never despair. But if you do, work on in despair. - Edmund Burke
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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
I read about Abraham Lincoln’s failures a while ago, and its such a good motivator that success is always just around the corner. Sometimes you have to fail just to even see the corner.
who is the author of words to live by? i found 2 different ones at the library.
What a great reminder! I’ve seen Abraham Lincoln’s perserverance history in many places and in many formats but until now I didn’t know what the source was. What I love most about it is that it shows that even the ultra successful are real poeople, with real problems and real obstacles in their path. But aren’t these challenges really just opportunities for us to prove that we really want what we’re going after? If it were easy, everyone would be doing it and it would lose it’s significance.
Thanks for sharing.
William,
I love the way you worded that! You are so right. - Joi
Arts Musings,
Challenges are most definitely opportunities - and thank goodness for them! I guess how you approach them makes all the difference. - Joi
Keri,
This particular book bills itself as:
“A New Treasury of Words to Live By”
Selected and Interpreted by
Ninety Eminent Men and Women
Edited by William Nichols
I’ll be adding more of its wisdom to the site over the next few weeks. Theres a lot of great stuff inside these old pages! - Joi
Talk about never giving up! I found the article inspiring. Right now, before I forget or get distracted, I’m going to start my failure list. Thanks.
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