Failure Definitions

I found a lot of really bad stuff written about what is a fairly straight forward topic - failure.  Here is all the information you have been needing.  A failure is not meeting an goal when you are in pursuit of a goal.

Not living according to your values is not a failure, it is bad judgment.  Bad judgment is not a goal, it is a byproduct of bad decisions.  Bad decisions span the entire spectrum but are most spectacular when they involve relationships or substance abuse.  

Fear of failure is very normal.  The leading cause of the fear of failure is that it really makes you feel like shit.

If you are poor, powerless, physically unattractive, unpopular, rejected or in poor physical shape, you are not a failure.  You have got to be in pursuit of a goal to fail.  If you are one of those things and not engaged in an activity to correct or upgrade it, they are just not high enough on your priority list. 

If you are lazy, that does not make you a failure.  Unfortunately, when you fail the audience tends to be made up largely of people who are not actively pursuing the same type of goals that you are.  I have learned that failure can be funny as hell, except when it is you.  One of the things I love about my closest friends is that they are adept at helping me see the humor in the things that make me cringe.  Let your own friends do this.
Laughter really takes the edges off things.

You cannot excuse a failure away.  If you failed it is because of something you did or failed to recognize.  You cannot divide, assign, or accept a certain percentage of failure.  One owner per failure, no exceptions.

You cannot fail someone (see above).  Always accept full responsibility for your failure.  Think about how willing you are to help someone who does this.  Everyone is like that.  Remember for the people who cannot readily do this, you cannot remove their head from their own ass.  Be compassionate when they do pull their heads out and that kindness will be extended to you when you emerge from the darkness.

If you treat other people like hell, if you are uncaring and disrespectful you are not a failure, you are an asshole. 

I think that covers it.  I hope the balance between failure and success is starting to become more clear. 

Love Dad