We have all experienced failure: failed tests, exams, gradings, opportunities, and relationships. We can discuss the positive effect of succeeding instead of failing…. blah blah blah…. I get that. What I am talking about, are the situations in life that we are unable to change. It’s these situations, these circumstances, that we have the greatest potential for inner growth.
At the beginning, we try to change the situation itself: we go back to the teacher to get a few marks, or see if we can write the test again. When it doesn’t work, our options begin to narrow. We then shift blame to the teacher, to anything. We quit, drop out, or look for an easier path that will give us the result we desire. We should be using this as an excuse to grow, an excuse to look inside and rise to the challenge, to better ourselves and surpass the obstacle. Blaming does nothing but delay us solving the problem.
Illness, injury, or personal loss is an extreme case. I have always been humbled by those who can turn personal tragedy into a time to grow and strengthen. Change rarely happens externally, illness, injury or loss cannot be reverted, we are forced to look inside for the answer.
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” Viktor Frankl
Shihan Cyr – Head Instructor and Founder – Academy of Martial Arts
