One of my favorite history lessons is about failure.
Over 100 years ago, Sir Ernest Shackleton captained what is considered one of the most spectacular failures.
As far as failures go, it is a successful one though.
Are you still with me?
His ship, Endurance, became trapped in the shifting grip of pack ice and was crushed until sunk on an Antarctic expedition.
28 men were stranded on the ice and had to survive on the uninhabited Elephant Island.
They did not accomplish what they set out to do…but every single one of them lived to tell their story.
That is what makes it a successful failure.
They lived to strive on.
Fortitudine Vincimus was the Shackleton family motto…even before the Endurance set sail into uncharted waters.
The motto means, “through endurance, we conquer”.
What is your motto?
When your hard work and planning goes horribly wrong, what do you do?
How many people do you take down with you when you panic and pout about your perfect little plan going sideways?
Don’t let your desire for what you want cloud your judgement for what you already have.
Even if you are a team of one, find a way to get your crew home safely.
Even if your dreams have to change in order for you to do so.