{"id":170,"date":"2018-05-23T02:20:18","date_gmt":"2018-05-23T02:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/create.twu.ca\/awalkinthewoods\/?p=170"},"modified":"2018-05-23T15:23:24","modified_gmt":"2018-05-23T15:23:24","slug":"light-from-many-lamps-failure-is-not-the-falling-down-but-the-staying-down","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/create.twu.ca\/awalkinthewoods\/light-from-many-lamps-failure-is-not-the-falling-down-but-the-staying-down\/","title":{"rendered":"Light From Many Lamps: Failure is not the falling down, but the staying down."},"content":{"rendered":"

There is always another chance. \u00a0This thing that we call “failure” is not the falling down, but the staying<\/em> <\/strong>down. <\/strong>\u00a0– Mary Pickford (Watson, 1988, p.156)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As human beings we are<\/em> going to make mistakes, we are<\/em> going to fall down. It is one hundred percent inevitably going to happen. Leaders are also human beings, so it goes without saying that leaders are also going to fail and make mistakes. It is simply only a matter of time. \u00a0It’s what we choose to do once we fall down, that can define a true leader.<\/p>\n

The importance of what we as leaders choose to do after we fall down is reiterated by \u00a0Glen Llopis in his Forbes article “4 Reasons Great Leaders Admit Their Mistakes” (July 23, 2015), \u00a0“As any great leader will tell you, they have made many mistakes along the way. They will admit that it was the collective insight from bad decisions that taught them invaluable lessons \u2013 and how to see opportunities in everything and anticipate the unexpected more quickly. Successful leaders are transparent enough with themselves and others to admit their wrong doings so that those around them can also benefit from their learnings. They call this wisdom and many leaders lack it \u2013 because they are too proud to recognize mistakes as valuable learning moments for themselves and others.”<\/p>\n

Mary Pickford was a true leader in that she was able to recognize her mistakes as valuable learning moments for herself and others. Her story and words of encouragement touched me on many levels. \u00a0She was a woman who on the surface appeared like she had it all going on (a woman of great beauty, talent and dazzling success). \u00a0Unbeknownst to many though, she had faced unhappiness and disillusionment, heartache and disappointments, yet… “she had come through every experience serene and composed, radiantly sure of herself and the road ahead” (Watson, 1988, p. 157).<\/p>\n

\"\"

Image: Pintrest<\/p><\/div>\n

Mary’s lesson touched me so much that I shared it with my 17 year old son tonight who is going through a hard time. \u00a0I wasn’t sure if he would be receptive to it at first but he slowly and silently read the paragraph I showed him. My eyes filled with tears watching him quietly absorb the words, \u00a0nodding as understanding dawned over him. \u00a0Mary’s words are\u00a0so<\/strong> powerful and encouraging for those who have made mistakes or lost their way. \u00a0“Today is a new<\/em> <\/strong>day… if you have made mistakes, there is always<\/em><\/strong> another chance for you… and supposing you have tried and failed again and again, you may have a fresh start any moment you choose” (Watson, 1988, p. 158).<\/p>\n

I thought of my daughter whose applications for acceptance into a nursing program were just rejected for another year in a row. I thought of my students who are struggling with drug addictions and mental health issues. \u00a0I thought of my many mistakes both as a mom and as a teacher and was comforted by Mary’s words, “You are never beaten unless you give up” (Watson, 1988, p. 158).<\/p>\n

I will try and emulate Mary Pickford by sharing my stories with my students and my children as both a human being and a leader. I will admit my mistakes so that others can benefit from my learnings.<\/p>\n

Thanks to Mary Pickford, I have found a new quote to share with my students. I am going to cut it out in large letters and put it on my classroom wall. \u00a0Her message is one that bears repeating and needs to be shared.<\/p>\n

“Today is a new day. You will get out of it just what you put into it… If you have made mistakes, even serious mistakes, there is always another chance for you. And supposing you have tried and failed again and again, you may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call “failure” is not the falling down, but the staying down.” ~ Mary Pickford<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

 <\/p>\n

Eichler Watson, L.E. (1988). Light from Many Lamps<\/em>, (1st Fireside Edition). New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, Inc.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/glennllopis\/2015\/07\/23\/4-reasons-great-leaders-admit-their-mistakes\/#46fc410f4628<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There is always another chance. \u00a0This thing that we call “failure” is not the falling down, but the staying down. \u00a0– Mary Pickford (Watson, 1988, p.156) As human beings we are going to make mistakes, we are going to fall down. It is one hundred percent inevitably going to happen. Leaders are also human beings, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":262,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,16,18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ldrs500","category-light-from-many-lamps","category-unit-4","post-preview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/create.twu.ca\/awalkinthewoods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/create.twu.ca\/awalkinthewoods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/create.twu.ca\/awalkinthewoods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/create.twu.ca\/awalkinthewoods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/262"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/create.twu.ca\/awalkinthewoods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=170"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/create.twu.ca\/awalkinthewoods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":175,"href":"https:\/\/create.twu.ca\/awalkinthewoods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/170\/revisions\/175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/create.twu.ca\/awalkinthewoods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=170"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/create.twu.ca\/awalkinthewoods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=170"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/create.twu.ca\/awalkinthewoods\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=170"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}