Never Fear Failure

Today we welcome the month of Scorpio, a month of intensity, but also a month of great opportunity — the opportunity to rise above our fears and failures, and to grow.

 

The great kabbalist, Rav Ashlag teaches that we cannot rise without falling first and this is one of the great gifts of this month: the ability to fall and rise again. We cannot complete our work; we cannot elevate to the highest levels without first going down and then going up. To me, falling is synonymous with failing.

 

Fear of failure is likely something we all experience at one point or another. A fear of failure makes us easily overwhelmed,  it causes us to procrastinate and to lose our focus. It results in us working to create risk-free circumstances, shying away from new things, and creating contingency plans for every possible outcome before it’s even happened… Sound familiar? This is also a surefire way to stagnation, frustration, disappointment, and a lackluster life experience. But here’s the thing, failure isn’t bad. I know that goes against every instinct we have to succeed, but in essence, failing is just a part of the process of success. We need to completely rethink how we perceive failure.

 

The kabbalists teach that we came into this world to grow and transform into an elevated version of ourselves… in essence to reveal our potential and purpose. To do this, we must stretch, push past our comfort zones, and seek ways to go beyond our inherent natures. When we are living a life of purpose, going beyond what is comfortable, failure is inevitable. Failure isn’t bad, what is important is what we do with our failures. If we learn from them and use them to launch forward more effectively then how can we see them as bad? The key is not to get stuck in the failure and become paralyzed from the fear of failing again.

 

The energy of this month of Scorpio helps us rise from the fall, to use failures as stepping stones to future success.

 

It reminds me of the famous Thomas Edison quote: “I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” This is the perspective shift that is available to us this month.

 

In the Hebrew calendar, Scorpio is called Mar Cheshvan; the Mar means bitter. However, the reverse of Mar is Ram, and Ram means exalted. During Scorpio, we work to turn Mar to Ram, bitter to sweet, lemons into lemonade. Whatever feels negative is an opportunity for something good to happen, either a transformation in your consciousness or a blessing entering your life, like a new job or a new friend. I know I have said more than once, “As difficult as that was, I am so happy because if it hadn’t this amazing thing I am experiencing a year later could not have happened.” We are given a chance to rise above our fear of difficulty and find the gift.

 

Think back on a time that you feel you failed. Maybe it was a job loss, an argument you wish handled better, or even just a day where things just didn’t go right. I’m willing to bet that, looking back, you can find a blessing in it. A gift that came to you out of your perceived failure.  

 

When we work to see the blessings, we can cultivate gratitude for our failures, and it helps us not to fear future challenges. Truthfully, that fear does nothing to help us. While it may seem like we are being “responsible” or “careful,” what we are actually doing is blocking the blessings that are trying to reach us and stunting our growth in the process. As you move through this month, remember that fear does absolutely nothing to help you. It doesn’t nurture growth, and it doesn’t improve or solve situations to any degree. And it definitely doesn’t help you succeed.

 

Instead, when you are faced with a failure, a challenging situation, or a difficult encounter with a person, look for what it is bringing you. Nothing this month is as it appears to be, and as long as we understand this, and focus our awareness, we can receive the blessings that are concealed in the challenges.

 

This month, no matter how challenging the situation, you can practice having certainty that the end result is not designed to hurt you – far from it – it’s in your best interest! Keep this in mind, especially in moments when it doesn’t feel like it.

 

THOUGHT INTO ACTION

 

Where in your life do you fear failing? How can you work to shift your perspective? When challenges arise, or you experience a setback, instead of reacting out of fear see how quickly you can start looking for the blessing.