7 Things I Have Learned From Extreme Failure

I can remember a time (it doesn't seem that long ago) I was driving around on a moped, getting paid $275 a week for manual labor, had little prospects, no girlfriend, and was living in my childhood bedroom.

I've always been ambitious, and believed anything was possible, but I didn't always believe in myself, and the scars of my childhood had followed me into my adult life.

Prior to this I had risked it all, and attempted what most people said would never work. I took a chance, left everything I knew, worked hard, seized every opportunity, and then actually started to see some success and traction... but ultimately I failed miserably.

The crash was hard and the spiral was devastating.

As one of my best friends and blood brothers Jonathan Thomas said once, "there are few things worse than going from being a chicken to being an eagle, and then back to a chicken again."

I would only amend this powerful and relatable observation by saying that I think we're all eagles, but some of us never realize it and act like chickens our whole lives.

My friends are eagles. They always have been, and they always will be.

At the time though, I didn't recognize that daring greatly is this point... failing forward was the goal.

All I could see was the fallout.

What I didn't yet understand was that sometimes things have to be torn down in order to be rebuilt properly.

Fast forward to today, I'm living proof there is a God and He is merciful, full of grace, and has a plan for us that we couldn't fathom in our wildest dreams.

I am far from having it all figured out. In fact I fall hard on my face still and have to get back up, brush myself off, and keep going.

That is the only secret.

Life should be our mentor, and failure our teacher.

Now, my 7 things...

1.Trust God for your days AND your years.

2. Give of your time, talent, and treasure without expecting anything in return.

3. Dare greatly.

4. Don't forget you are an eagle.

5. Don't resist the reconstruction.

6. Welcome your failure.

7. If you fall 7 times, get back up 8