How can you overcome failure and fulfill your dreams?
‘Learn from those around you and work to make yourself better’
Does it pay to live a life of true intention, and how do we make that work? Paul Cummings knows how that can happen, and he speaks from experience. After a busted knee dashed his dream to play football, he recalibrated his life and went on to create Woople.com, which has delivered over 650 million minutes of education to Fortune 500 companies.
In 2017, Cummings published “It All Matters.” The book talks about how to maximize confidence, creativity and life. He is an expert on how people can overcome their fear of failure and create a plan to fulfill their dreams. This includes specific steps on the route to meeting the commitments we make to ourselves as well as reigniting employee passions.
“You just can’t get a positive charge off a dead battery,” he is fond of saying. People should ask what they can do to have a more compelling conversation to turn a negative into a positive. To that end, he believes fear is one of the most positive emotions. It’s a catalyst for positive change.
“You have to look for people who want to change,” Cummings said, and the answer doesn’t have to be affirmative. “Saying no can be more positive than saying yes.”
Change starts with movement, or as Cummings put it, “The best way for people to get unstuck is to start every day. That includes something positive. You have to have the willingness to go out and do it.”
Travel light for freedom
Before heading out, Cummings wants people to leave their baggage behind: “When you travel lighter, you find freedom. Every loss in your life is a lesson learned and a stepping stone to be created.”
Forbes analyst, brand strategist and TalentCulture Chief Executive Officer Meghan M. Biro said that to lead a life of real intention, you should “learn from those around you and work to better yourself.”
Cummings added that to live a life of real intention, “Write down goals and follow through on them one step at a time. What gets written down gets done. What get prioritized gets done first. Do small-step strategies. Life isn’t perfect. There are times when you have to recalibrate.”
Above all, Cummings said, “Be true to yourself, and live your life according to your personal value systems. Your values should be deeply ingrained to inform your personal choices and daily conduct. Take time every day to review and visualize your personal goals — what are the outcomes you wish to create? Sometimes the power of ‘less is more’ will allow you to create more impact because you have laser focus.”
As much as people want to change, there are factors that keep us from exploring outside our comfort zone. As Biro said, “It’s uncomfortable out there for a reason. It’s easier to stay where it’s ‘safe.’ There’s fear of failure and anxiety about the unknown.”
Stare down fear
You can turn these fears into a positive force for motivation, according to Cummings.
“Face the thing you fear, and the death of fear is certain,” he said. “Fear comes in many forms — fear of failure, fear of other’s opinions, etc. Failure to ‘stretch goals’ that push you out of your comfort zone can lead you to a life of less.
“Challenge yourself with new and exciting goals that cause you to grow and expand,” Cummings said. “Your perception is your reality. You must change your perception regarding your ability to do amazing things. You came to this earth equipped for greatness. Claim this, and then move forward with confidence.”
That confidence comes after leaving negative perceptions behind when planning our future.
“Stop comparing yourself to others,” Brio said. “Practice gratitude and positive thinking. Remember to focus on the good. For every negative thought, counteract it with two positive thoughts.”
Empowering questions
Cummings went even further, untwisting negativity and releasing empowerment.
“Negative perceptions will be disengaging if we ask ourselves disempowering questions,” he said, adding these points:
- Question your life in a powerful way by asking empowering questions.
- The antidote for negative perceptions is to make sure you have positive daily “self-talk.”
- Describe your future in positive and compelling terms, and believe in your ability to produce the outcomes you desire.
- The past does not equal the future — it’s never too late to become the person you might have been.
- Build confidence, create clarity, develop certainty and operate with creativity.
- UBU — Understand who you are — Be true to yourself — stay Unique. Remember that if you don’t make a good you, you’ll make a lousy someone else.
Simply put, Cummings said, “Don’t ‘should’ all over yourself. Get into the ‘I will’ and ‘I am’ business, and stay there. Tell your ‘negative ghost’ and your ‘failure ghost’ to shut it! Confidence is developed first in the mind before it reflects in daily actions. Positive affirmations will help you create a winning mindset.
“Dreams elevate your joy and desire,” he said. “Goals challenge you to reach a new level of excellence. Goals are the stepping stones to your desired outcomes.”
About The Author
Jim Katzaman is a manager at Largo Financial Services and worked in public affairs for the Air Force and federal government. You can connect with him on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
