Fishing is Failure

Fishing is failure...mostly. The majority of casts result in the return of an empty lure, a clump of grass or a snagged branch. Yet people of all ages from all parts of the country go out and plan their weekends and even vacations around flinging a small lure into a body of water, hoping to hook something.

I think we can all admit it would be easier--and probably cheaper--to go to the local market and buy some fish...but they don't. Why? Because the thrill of the catch more than makes up for all the "failed" and futile casts required to get us there. Because a fisherman understands a cast here and there isn't enough, but if he keeps putting the hook out there with diligence and determination, sooner or later he will land something.

I wish more people treated life this way. We give up so quickly on things: careers, marriages, jobs, educations, and sadly, dreams. We've been duped and deluded into thinking good things should come easily and conveniently. When things get difficult or painful, we stop or even turn around. We have been poisoned by immediate gratification and believe that anything worth having we should obtain quickly. You may not hear that verbalized, but that is what our actions show. A man spends 20 years filling his belly with butter and sugar and decides to lose weight, but then quits two weeks into the diet when he doesn't see the results fast enough or they come with too much difficulty. Sound familiar?

One thing I have realized about my life is nothing I have of substantial value came without difficulty and pain. My marriage, my kids, my career, my education, even my health, came with costs--significant costs. Sacrifice has been a vital part of every significant victory and accomplishment of my life. No exceptions.

Success and failure are two sides to the same coin and the latter does not come without the former. Why do we pray for rain and then complain about the mud? Success is built upon the foundation of failure...as long as we don't quit. That means we need to take responsibility for our own trajectory; it's not about luck. Something didn't work? That's okay, you learned something. Adjust, adapt and come back tomorrow.

I promise you, there are plenty of fish out there. Keep casting.

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