ONE THING YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE

"Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding."

Mahatma Gandhi, 20th century leader of Indian independence.

Losing your temper while arguing will be the second thing you lose.

The first is the argument.

WINNING BY LOSING

"The little reed, bending to the force of the wind, soon stood upright again when the storm had passed over."

Aesop

5th century BC Greek fabulist

Part of being strong is knowing when not to be.

WE WON! (WHAT?)

"I would rather lose in a cause that will some day win, than win in a cause that will some day lose!"

Woodrow T. Wilson

Twenty-eighth President of the USA

Suggesting "winning" is relative.

Make sure what you work hard to win is worth the effort.

The Price Of Winning

"There are some defeats more triumphant than victories."

Michel Eyquem de Montaigne

16th century French philosopher

Ever not get a job or contract you felt you really wanted or needed?

If so you know what this means.

If not you likely one day will.

Beneficial Apprehension

"If you are not afraid of doing it then it's not worth the effort."

Mike Stay

Business Wisdom reader/contributor

How many of your "wins" came without some fear of failure?

Can there be meaningful victory without the potential for meaningful loss?

Move On!

"How you think when you lose determines how long it will be until you win."

Gilbert Keith Chesterton

19th/20th century British  author

Because too much time spent lamenting those losses keeps you from planning future victories.

When You Can't Win

"Show me a good loser and I'll show you an idiot."

Leo Durocher
Major League Baseball Player/Manager

Does anyone really believe this?

And I don't just mean in business since that is the context in which all of these quotes are to be judged.

I mean, period.

Learning: The Silver Lining of Failure

"In great attempts it is glorious even to fail."

Vince Lombardi
Football Coach

There are hundreds if not thousands of quotes regarding failure but none I've read so far that speaks to one critical aspect of the experience. The idea that even in failure there can be victory.

That we will often fail is a given; however what we do when we do is not. Because failures large and small are so much a part of our lives can we really afford not to learn from them; not to look for the cloud's silver lining?

What have you learned?