Failure Is Not Shame

Failure Is Not Shame

When I was a small boy, I had to learn to walk.  I fell down a few times.  There was no shame in that. Falling down is a part of learning to walk.

When I really got into singing in high school and college, I would, on occasion, sing a few flat notes.  I probably shamed myself.  I beat myself up for my flaws as a singer.  As I look back on that time, I have to put things into perspective.  As in learning to walk, learning to sing is a process.  My vocal chords weren’t developed yet, nor was my musical ear trained to discern pitch perception.  Those are learned traits.  They are not shaming moments. 

In the tenth grade, I took mechanical drawing.  I was lousy at it.  I believe I made a D minus.  My teacher, Mr. Casteel, had the good sense to write on my report card something like … “Mike really tries hard to do a good job in my class.  He just doesn’t have the insight, a basic skill, for mechanical drawing.”

And yet, I’m a darn good drummer, singing, conductor, writer, speaker, manager, banker, and a few other skills and talents I’ve accumulated along the way.

Oh my, I’ve had some hard learning curves, and that is what they were – LEARNING curves.  Not shame closets, not failure marks – learning curves.

I’ve written on this topic a dozen times, and will continue to address this subject.

Failure is the gateway to success, to learning and improving.

FAILURE IS NOT FINAL!

This is what is

on my mind today.

It's All About People Blogsite

P Michael Biggs

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

Does Your Direction Match Your Destination?

Does Your Direction 

Match Your Destination?

Now that is perhaps one of the more astute questions I’ve asked of myself and of you, my reader, in a very long time.  Oh, we are all headed in some direction, I suppose.  But is it compatible with our ultimate destination?

Really and truly, I don’t think this blog requires a lot of words, phrases and metaphors from me from this point on.  I think I’ll leave this large topic with you.  It is, after all, your call.

This is what is

on my mind today.

It's All About People Blogsite

P Michael Biggs

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

Do What You Do Best

Do What You Do Best

Here’s the thing … do what you do best.  I write about topics that I have some experience in.  I read a lot, I’ve had nine or so different careers, I’ve lived in seven different states and have a bit of insight into some cultural distinctions I would not otherwise have.  Those experiences have colored my perspective, in living life, in foods I enjoy, in dress, in language and accents, in religious perspectives. 

We are happiest when we do the things we love, when we express what we know best, whether it is a special dish we love to make, a painting we love to draw, a song we love to sing.

I write a certain way.  I’m not James Paterson, but I am ME.

If I were to open a restaurant, it certainly wouldn’t be French cuisine.  It would probably be a breakfast place, for I can do some good stuff for breakfast

What about you?  What would you do if you did something in a contributing way for mankind? 

Here’s the thing.

~Draw the art you want to see

~Start the business you want to run

~Play the music you want to hear

~Write the books you want to read

~Build the products you want to use

~Do the work you want to see done

Show us your best side.

This is what is

on my mind today.

It's All About People Blogsite

P Michael Biggs

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

The Simple Power of Intention

The Simple Power of Intention

It’s simple really.  Once you set your mind to do a thing, you can probably do it.  What a simple principle. 

Tonight, as I sat down, I told Carolyn I was going to write three blogs before going to sleep.  I need to publish my weekly newsletter, and here I go.  This is Number 3.  One to go before sleep calls. 

I have intention.  INTENTION!

This, by the way, is not a bragging post.  It is, perhaps, an encouraging word to someone who has a burning desire to do a thing and all you need is a kick in the backside and a reminder to add intention to your formula. 

Perhaps you’ll pull off your latent dream yet.

I hope so.

Intention works.

This is what is

on my mind today.

It's All About People Blogsite

P Michael Biggs

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration

The Bull's Eye Can Be Hit

The Bull’s Eye Can Be Hit

People who hit the bull’s eye on the first try are lucky.  There is no skill in that.  They got lucky.

So, what’s your bull’s eye?  Consider this … that takes some figuring, some mulling and some trying and aiming and missing.  I didn’t settle on being a writer until I was in my late fifties/early sixties.  I thought about it, I dreamed of it, but I never got serious about writing until later in life.

And when I landed on writing, I knew I had found my niche.  Oh, I dabbled along the way.  I wrote some stuff –small stuff.  And I kept dabbling.  I kept writing, yet never dared called myself a ‘writer’. 

I began enjoying the process more.  I tried my hand on a more consistent basis.  I expanded my horizons and actually wrote a poem or two along the way.  Finally, I developed a sense of direction for my life – my life purpose.  It’s this – Offering Hope, Ecouragement, Inspiration, one word at a time.

People started reading, and following, and commenting.  I was encouraged, and so it continued.  I kept throwing darts at the board.  I had miss-spelled words, wrong verb tenses, and sometimes silly ideas, but the ideas flowed and I captured them.

Got a bull’s eye?  No matter what it is, you can learn to hit it.  Notice I said “Learn”!

Keep aiming.  Keep throwing.  Ignore the critics, and sooner or later you just might figure out how to hit the eye of the bull. 

And that’s no bull!

This is what is

on my mind today.

It's All About People Blogsite

P Michael Biggs

Hope~Encouragement~Inspiration