Fail Better.
About a year ago we got an at home espresso machine- milk wand and all. I worked several years in part-time hospitality roles through Uni, and considered myself something of a barista. I was excited to not only make a great tasting, but visually beautiful coffee at home…
Either my memories are fabrications or I had severely lost my touch, because while I had no issue achieving my preferred milk texture, I couldn’t pour to save my life.
A year I have been trying. Today (see photo) is the best I have got- not perfect, but absolutely adequate as far as cafe standards go. That took me a year. An actual year. I’ve probably tried more than 60 other times.
Fail has negative connotations right?
The idea of failing better, that’s progress. I’m a sucker for a quote. I also like this one; in order to be good at something, you need to be willing to be bad at it first.
Being bad at something is generally a prerequisite to being good. Ongoing effort, and sticking around. You want the secrets to success? Same, but genuinely I think they’re a large part of it. Here’s another quote; success is largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go…. aka ‘don’t give up’.
As always perspective is key, and while I often fall prey to frustration that I did not manage to do this or that thing immediately brilliantly, I have also become a lot better at shaping the associated narrative in a helpful way. (another) Quote alert; you win or your learn. Losing is a choice- you can settle on “I lost”, or you can accept you didn’t win and find the lessons to take forward.
Controlling the narrative and how I perceive any given situation has been something I have put immense work into over the last couple of years. It’s hard work don’t get me wrong, but boy oh boy, liberating (she says as if she’s mastered it already). Ultimately every failure provides a step forward along the path to success. Producing something average does not preclude you from producing something phenomenal in the future. Putting something out that’s not perfect is most likely better than putting out nothing at all.
For myself; I don’t want to leave the question unanswered. I work with the intent of becoming an elite weightlifting coach- I’ll achieve it, or maybe I don’t have or won’t be willing to do what it takes. But I know I won’t be that dickhead in the corner of the room at some gathering in 10 years time saying “yeah I could have coached at the Commonwealth Games but you know I was busy cleaning my shoes and the selectors didn’t like my haircut so I was robbed, but totally could of man”. Yuck
