Most of us have been taught to move forward cautiously, make intelligent decisions, and not fail. In our society, failure has a nasty taste to it. Failure isn't commonly thought of as a good thing. Most don't realize that those who repeatedly fail are those who ultimately succeed. Failure is what counts - it's picking yourself up, learning from your mistakes, and moving forward a bit smarter from the experience. Fail fast and fail frequently!

With my engineering training, I was taught to learn as much as possible on the topic of interest prior to venturing forth. It was OK to fail, but do so in new ways. It's goofy to reinvent the wheel in every situation. Oftentimes a product or idea is totally new and there is limited information to pull from before venturing out.

Success in anything is very similar to learning to walk. The only way you learn is by repeatedly failing. A certain amount of walking is learned from watching grown-ups, but you can't learn how to do it for yourself by watching them. You have to experience it on your own. You take a few steps and fall. You get back up, take a few more steps ... and fall again. As a child, there is never any disappointment in this process. It's all part of the adventure and being human. Your focus is on what you did accomplish - oftentimes with an ear-to-ear smile! I submit that by adopting this attitude in your life you will have a lot of fun, become a better version of you, and ultimately succeed in whatever it is you set out to do.

A well lived life truly is about the journey. As the saying goes, "life is a marathon, not a sprint." The journey is more important than the destination - this is where we get to experience, for ourselves, what life is all about. Having an inquisitive mind and trying different approaches until you ultimately achieve your desired results is one of the greatest feelings. You understand that true knowledge is personal.

Give yourself a pat on the back for being persistent and finding a way to achieve your goal!

People with an attitude of exploration and fun while going through life are very creative and happy. Once they decide on what they want to experience they know they'll achieve their goal. It's just a matter of time.

Each of us gets to choose how we want to live our lives and what is important to us. Make your choices worthwhile. Learn as you go. Continually expand your definition of YOU. Develop that confident swagger that comes from knowing you can accomplish anything you commit to - the attitude that "I've got this!"

Glenn Bott of Arvada is enthusiastic about life and everything he does! He speaks and consults on empowerment and resiliency. He shares what he learned by successfully reinventing himself after recovering from a severe brain injury.