RHG Magazine & TV Guide New Year 2019 | Page 44

RHG Magazine & TV Guide TM - New Year 2019 © All rights reserved.

Leadership Expert Linda Patten believes passionately in working with women to become successful leaders who make lasting, positive change in the world. dare2leadwithlinda.com

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possible, and to support their successes as well as their “failures.”

Another fascinating way to look at failure comes from Dr. Cheryl Lentz, author of Fail Faster, Succeed Sooner, who tells us that “many believe that one hires someone for their expertise. This is not quite complete. One hires someone for their ability to have learned from their failure to ensure that when they come to fix your problem with their expertise, they fix your problem the right way, the first time.” So, by failing you are doing a great service to the world!

Ways to face your fear of failure:

* Think about failure in a different way; like a powerful tool in your possession to move you toward success, in control of your choices and the situations that may throw you off-track.

* When it does happen, recognize the failure for what it is, but reframe it as a lesson and not a tragedy or a flaw in you.

* Hold yourself accountable to using the situation to learn from and become stronger as a result.

* As you lead others and develop team relationships, be vulnerable enough to share your stories of success, failures, and overcoming adversity or obstacles - so others may learn from you.

Ultimately, it’s about choice - it always is. You can choose to be beaten down by your fears and failures, or you can choose to respond purposefully. Remember, each time you “fail” is a blessing, not a curse; they are sources of power and lessons which you can integrate into your life to become a better leader and a better individual.

“Failure is a reality; we all fail at times, and it's painful when we do. But it's better to fail while striving for something wonderful, challenging, adventurous, and uncertain than to say, ‘I don't want to try because I may not succeed completely.’”

― Jimmy Carter, Sources of Strength: Meditations on Scripture for a Living Faith