How are you going to respond to failure? Are you going to allow it to stop you or you going to allow it to strengthen you?
I love Greek mythology. I love all the stories surrounding the Greek mythology of Zeus, Odysses, Poseidon, & Hercules. And if you are familiar with any of these, you have heard tales of the labors of Hercules.
Today’s Monday motivation is focused on the second labor, the Hydra.
Hercules was tasked with finding and killing the Hydra, a mythical serpent beast with multiple heads, poisonous blood, and an odor that would kill anyone who breathed in the air near it. It was one of the deadliest creatures in the land by these characteristics alone, but the Hydra had a secret that none of its victims had lived to tell about.
Hercules initially attacked the Hydra like he would any other beast. Grabbing his sword, he immediately cut off one of the Hydra’s heads, hoping to wound the creature. But something strange happened. In the place of one head grew two. In fact, every time you tried to cut off a head, two more would grow back.
Every person to this point had failed to kill the Hydra because they didn’t understand that what didn’t kill it only made it stronger.
And the same applies to you.
We often quote this line that, “Pressure creates diamonds and fire refines gold,” and it’s true. The trials and tribulation of our lives are only the things that strengthen us for tomorrow and what lies ahead.
Too often we see these obstacles and failures as something that is going to stop us. We get knocked down to our knees and have our faces pressed into the mud, and we stay there. We don’t understand that this is just part of the process. As Ryan Holiday famously wrote, “The obstacle IS the way.” Getting through this current battle is strengthening us for the road beyond it.
Most of us forget to share the mindset of the Hydra. “If you don’t kill me, I will come back stronger.”
That’s the mindset you need to succeed this week, this year and in this life. You have to understand that every obstacle before you is only there to strengthen you for what’s on the other side.
We grow from these experiences. We are knocked down, we get back up. We are stronger, we are more determined to win.
You can be like the Hydra. Let an obstacle knock you down. Let a failure happen to you. You know what? You will come back tomorrow stronger because you refuse to give up. Just like our muscles are destroyed during workouts, only to grow back stronger, so is our mind & heart when facing adversity.
Let them cut off one limb, you will grow back two more. Let one business fail, that’s great, you will create a bigger and better one tomorrow. If you fall short of the goal today, this isn’t the end – instead, you will reach it tomorrow.
Your 2016 is not over yet. Your chance to be a Hydra still remains. You have three and a half months left. If you haven’t hit your goal yet, be more determined to hit it before December 31st. And if you have fallen short in 2016 of that goal, you have 3.5 months to get better so that you crush it in 2017. You know why, because you are more determined to hit it in 2017 than you were 2016.
You are stronger and more prepared.
Be determined. Allow your setbacks to set up your come backs. I believe in you. Make it your best week yet.
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