Based on an article published by Shane Parrish titled, "The Difference Between Amateurs and Professionals,” I'm reflecting on some of his key points with today's discussion on: 

“Amateurs give up at the first sign of trouble and assume they’re failures. Professionals see failure as part of the path to growth and mastery."

Is there really light at the end of the tunnel? Can I really pick myself up, learn from my failure, and move on—a better person? 

Professionals would tend to agree, whereas amateurs take their failures personally, internalizing their problems. Professionals ask what part they played in a failure and what they will do differently next time. They also look at what is within their locus of control and then take action. Amateurs focus on beating themselves up for making a mistake. They waste precious energy fixated on their failure rather than applying that energy to asking why the failure happened and what they can learn from it. (by the way, I think some failures are simply “honest” mistakes…typically no one wakes up with the burning thought on their mind—"Today is going to be an epic mistake…I'm gonna go out there and blow it big time!" What would happen if you reframed some of your failures as "honest mistakes"?).

Professionals see failures as stepping stones toward success. They learn from what doesn't work and develop character in the process. Amateurs see them as nuisances, time-wasters, and roadblocks that need to be avoided at all costs; unfortunately, they miss opportunities for growth and learning as a result!

So how do you perceive failure? Do you agree with the writer of Proverbs who stated, “…though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again”? What does “rising again” in this context look like for you?