This is a maxim that has to be adhered to and exercised daily. Moment by moment we mess things up. It’s when we discover that we have severely under performed is when our true character is revealed. Let me explain:
If my coach, Justin Dees, tells me to do something as I prepare for a contest and I fail to do it and I ignore his directions and I just don’t put in the effort to accomplish the things that are important for me to win, I will not only lose but I will have disrespected my coach. Not a good situation!
As soon as I am aware of my failure I need to contact my coach and confess what I didn’t do despite being instructed to do it. He needs to know two things: 1.) My integrity is golden and my character is good. 2.) My coach needs to know that I am willing to make up the ground that I lost with my disobedience/neglect. It is in this environment of abject humility that I learn the importance of what I was supposed to do. Also, it is here that I want to gain some respect from Justin due to my honesty. Justin has to know that he can trust me to do what I’m told so he can guide me to victory.
In life it is the same way. It’s one thing to forget to do something. It’s quite another to try to hide the undone task. If you want to lose credibility and trust, just don’t own up to the mistake or try to make it go away by not addressing it. In this instance all that you have built with a person who trusts you is gone in the twinkling of an eye.
In closing, don’t worry about failure, it happens. Worry about having enough personal integrity to own up to the failure and making things right. This act will provide an opportunity to learn something and to gain the respect of those that trusted us.
Until next time, I remain. Douglas E. Graham, Lt Col, USAF, (ret), MHSM
Six Pack and Senior 