Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska -- Military members make up less than one percent of the U.S. population, and this small demographic of individuals who are willing and able to serve, are still human; we make mistakes.
Every single service member is trained from basic military training to be a leader, follower and friend; to be better than yesterday. Service members have a lot to gain, and a lot to lose, but most importantly, we have a lot to learn.
In an effort to continue learning Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson’s Total Force Development Council hosted its second John C. Maxwell “Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn” seminar May 31. This seminar helped me identify and pursue a solution to my problems by exploring the steps of learning from a loss or failure.
The seminar described 11 elements of learning from a loss. They are; humility, reality, responsibility, improvement, hope, teachability, adversity, problems, bad experiences, change and maturity.
Maxwell is an American author, public speaker and pastor who has written many books, primarily about leadership. Throughout the seminar, two of his quotes clicked for me and helped me re-evaluate who I am and what I want to do with my life after failure.
His first quote is “Never base your worth on any experience.” This is important to me because I feel it can be applicable to everyone. I use this quote to remind myself everything that whatever happens to me, whether fortunate or not, has no influence to who I am. My actions define me. On that note, I’ve failed at quite a few things.
OK, I failed a lot, but I don’t consider myself a failure; I am a learner. The difference between failing and being a failure is what we do afterwards. I’m still learning what corrective actions to take with the help of coworkers, supervisors, and seminars like this.
Maxwell also said “if you do something for one hour a day, in five years you will be an expert.” This applies to every activity − from lifting weights to positive thinking. Everything can become habitual.
I have a habit of making mistakes; not always the same mistake, because I am willing to change and improve a little bit every time, but mistakes nonetheless. I’m falling forward until I can walk among my peers, by creating a habit of success one day at a time.
Military members are not perfect, but the military provides many tools and services for self-improvement. I would not have learned this much about myself and how to better myself without the help of the Total Force Development Council, the chaplain corps, the Military and Family Life Counselors, and the many men and women I work with every day.