Success is Wobbly, Never Straight

When people dream, we often focus on the end where we’re happy and successful.

We don’t think much of the path that will take us there.

That vision is critical, but if that’s only what you have in mind, you might be deluded into believing that everything will always go your way.

In reality, however, the road is riddled with obstacles and pitfalls that test your endurance, patience, and desire to accomplish your goals.

 Further, success does not require us to avoid all of those challenges. We’re likely to encounter inevitable hurdles that can make us swerve, take a detour, or halt our progress—for a while or for good.

Failing is part of the journey and influences your speed and direction towards your destination. Sounds too idealistic

 Let us show you how mistakes and setbacks can be the boosters you didn’t expect but actually needed.

Why Success is Never a Straight line

Don’t you love a good underdog story?

When the hero fights as hard as they can, attempting to break through barriers, getting up after stumbling down—those heart-pumping moments make us want to root for them and cheer wholeheartedly when they eventually achieve what they truly want in the end.

This classic plot depicts the reality for most people

 The path to success does not start from the bottom nor move upwards steadily until you reach the top. Instead, the entire thing is relatively unstable and a tad unpredictable. One moment, you’re riding high, and then in the blink of an eye, you find yourself stuck or falling helplessly.

Case Study: Nadia’s business

Take for example the case of Nadia, who went all out when she quit her job after saving enough capital to go after her dream of running a bakeshop.

Here’s the thing.

She didn’t prepare well enough as she had thought. Her baking skills were pretty good, but she could not keep up with the intense competition among the aspiring baker entrepreneurs. The rapidly shifting trends also made her feel at a loss, so she would sometimes think about returning to a nine-to-five job.

But baking was Nadia’s passion.

She attended classes for small business owners to supplement her technical knowledge. That’s how she realised she didn’t have to go with the flow to succeed. Instead, she should find a niche where she could excel.

It took some trial and error at first. And though Nadia did miss some opportunities to cash in on the newest trends, she persisted in her strategy to maximize her chosen niche. Eventually, she was proven right. Her small bakeshop gained the attention of loyal customers and food critics alike, earning a spot in various lists of the must-tries in the city.

The idea that success is a wobbly road goes beyond small-scale ventures like this.

Case Study: Dyson

Even the top business leaders in the world had their ups and downs before reaching the pinnacle.

For example, the Dyson brand—known for creating several of the best-rated vacuum cleaners—was founded upon the determination of Sir James Dyson to develop a revolutionary technology.

He had to spend his life savings, about 15 years of work, and more than 5,000 attempts to build the powerful dual cyclone bagless vacuum machines.

Persistence is crucial, but it’s not the only one that matters in the winding path to success. In some cases, reinvention is the right turn to take.

Many people realized this after the global pandemic brought the world to its knees. Their careers were extinguished as businesses closed down.

To the fearful, it didn’t seem the right time to switch fields or start a business The brave, however, found ways to adapt, evolve, and reinvent themselves. You might argue that this showed that they gave up on their original dreams and decided to pursue more accessible goals instead.

Case Study: Keith’s consultancy

Keith, who attained tremendous success when he turned his decades-long career as an economics professor into setting up an online consultancy for small businesses, would counter that he did not lose his vision at all.

Being a college professor was a means of going after his passion for educating the younger generation.

The lockdowns prevented him from engaging with the students, so he tried his best to create an effective workaround.

While many of his fellow teachers despaired, Keith rebranded himself as a consultant who could guide entrepreneurs in restarting their respective businesses amidst the challenges of the new normal.

As you may have noticed, the self-perception of their respective failures distinguishes Nadia, Dyson, and Keith from the rest. Rather than deterrents, they saw opportunities to improve and grow. And from those extra boosts, they found their way back on track—stronger and better than ever.

Why Failure is Key to Success

As kids, most of us were pushed to aim for perfection—full marks on tests, complete attendance, zero trips to the principal’s office.

And so, with or without realizing it, we develop a fear of failure, which can stick to us for the rest of our lives. The great thing is, we can shake it off by learning to view it as one of the keys to success. Yes, it sounds counterintuitive, but here are the top 3 reasons your poor decisions and wrong actions can propel you to greater heights:

Failures can inspire positive changes

As terrible as the global pandemic was, Keith’s story showed that it has a few silver linings. He found a way to overcome the restrictions without breaking the laws or harming anyone else.

The mission of his new business brought hope to others who wanted to resume or start over with a firmer footing and a clearer direction. 

Failing increases your resilience

Not everyone is built to keep trying after repeated failures.

So, imagine how mentally and emotionally strong Sir James Dyson was as he held on to his dream, believing each attempt could be his breakthrough. You can’t develop resilience if you’ve never encountered a setback or tragedy.

Only through pain and disappointment can we reflect on what happened to us, stand up again, and move forward once more.

Recovering from a failure sweetens the taste of success

When Nadia first got a glowing review from a well-known food blogger, she finally felt like everything had fallen into its rightful place. Her confidence in her new business strategy solidified, spurring her to stay on the course, no matter how tempting it was to take shortcuts again.

After all, trends die down, and she didn’t want her bakeshop to be a one-hit-wonder.

How to Place Yourself on the Bumpy, Wobbly Road to Success

I understand how challenging it is to shift perspectives, especially if you’ve seen first-hand how failures have ruined lives and wasted the potential of people around you.

However, it’s never too late to face reality and learn how to handle it better. Below are three ways to begin this journey and work through the ups and downs until you succeed in life and business.  

Move Outside Your Comfort Zone

Much of the fear we feel towards failure stems from the idea of putting ourselves out there. You might think you have the right skills, experiences, or connections to start a company. Others don’t want to lose what they have now, even if it means standing still and never growing.

You don’t have to go big right away. There’s no shame in taking small steps at first. That breach from your comfort zone will give you a taste of freedom, and it may just be enough to push you completely towards a new direction that will take you closer to your dream.

Acknowledge Your Failures

Taking on a new challenge opens you up to a higher risk of failure. Some people ignore the problems, thus letting them snowball until everything gets out of their control. Refrain from ignoring your mistakes.

We can’t be perfect all the time. Acknowledge what happened, but try to be kind to yourself when you did not achieve the desired results.

Transform a Failure into an Opportunity to Learn

Just because failing is one of the keys to success does not mean you should just let them happen repeatedly. Analyse the lesson for each instance, and apply it wherever needed. Remember, you’re not taking the wobbly road, not a blindfolded walk, to success.

Key Takeaways

There are no maps that guarantee success for everyone who reads it. We start on different points, carrying all sorts of baggage others might not have. Our destinations are likely not the same though the feelings of joy and fulfillment will fill us once we reach that end goal.

Along the way, we will encounter challenges that can slow us down or even lead us to stray from the path we’re currently taking. The latter does not automatically mean that you’re heading the wrong way.

Take the time to reassess your new position and see if your next steps will take you to your intended destination. Who knows, this direction might actually be much better than what you were taking before.

If you need further guidance on viewing failures in a more positive light, feel free to reach out to me so we can discuss this in greater detail. We’ll be more than glad to share more experiences and helpful tips for your journey on this wobbly road to success.