posted on December 14, 2022
We have all heard the quote “we learn from mistakes, not from success.” And when I dissect this quote, I think that part of it is right and part of it is wrong. We absolutely learn from mistakes, but on the contrary, I believe we learn from success too.
We learn from mistakes because once we make them, we can figure out what went wrong and improve those missed steps, so we don’t repeat them. But when we succeed, we also learn. We learn what works. We learn what we are capable of and what we need to continue to do to keep succeeding. Both failure and success will always be key parts of our journey, and without the other we cannot continue to grow.
I take this approach with my training. When many of us think of a “failed lift” we naturally think of it negatively, but that shouldn’t be the case. For one, failing a lift is proof that we are training to our maximum effort, you’re giving 110%. If you never fail a lift, you know you aren’t getting uncomfortable enough. Uncomfortableness is where we grow, in lifting and in life.
My favorite thing about failing a lift, is that once I fail that attempt, I know I can pull apart what went wrong, what I can fix, and when I can attack that weight again with a better chance to be successful. That weight isn’t going anywhere, it will be there when you’re prepared to challenge it again.
I also love when I fail a lift, and somebody in the gym who is stronger, has been training longer, and is more knowledgeable than me can tell me exactly where I went wrong and how I can fix it. The best part about lifting is we always have room to get better and continue LEARNING, and that growth never stops. We keep fighting the battles and we continue to win as we get stronger and as we continue our journey. When you find yourself no longer failing lifts, you are too comfortable. Learn from your success and learn more from your failures.
Take pride in the failed lift, it means you’re pushing for more. And to me, that is elite.
Maria
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