Steve Laube, president and founder of The Steve Laube Agency, a veteran of the bookselling industry with 40 years of experience. View all posts by Steve Laube →
Looking back, it’s where I am,
not what I had planned, for sure,
but life’s waters are over the dam
and roil the Lake of Failure
where float remains of dreams that died
of neglect and ego-needs,
and friendships killed by foolish pride
lie in the beds of wilting reeds.
I see each error and mistake,
and wish I had another chance,
and as I feel heart start to break
I give the scene a final glace,
and Lo!, soul leaps! What do I see?
Jesus striding ‘cross the waves to me!
We “all” know we can learn from our failures. Look at Thomas Edison. But most people don’t really like failures, and yet few have a perfect “first.”
I celebrated my first book failure feeling like I’d made it into the club.
As writers, I hope we can keep growing through each word-failure and learn what is necessary to turn us into more creative authors with the best Author of all.
Amazing how many ideas are out there! And how so many failed innovations went on to become other inventions, such as SuperGlue, which was initially designed to be a plastic used for gunsights. It would be great to have a Failures That Became A Success Museum–including Babe Ruth’s 1,330 strikeouts resulting in 714 home runs, Colonel Sanders founding KFC at age 62 after a lifetime of failures (and really bad, bad decisions!).
And not to forget a twist on failure becoming innovation: Bette NeSmith invented Mistake Out (later renamed Liquid Paper) to hide her poor typing skills. The product was sold to Gillette for $47 million in 1979.
Here’s a fun fact in case Trivial Pursuit comes back into popularity: Michael NeSmith, of The Monkey’s TV band, was her son.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole like believing that it is stupid” Albert Einstein
Looking back, it’s where I am,
not what I had planned, for sure,
but life’s waters are over the dam
and roil the Lake of Failure
where float remains of dreams that died
of neglect and ego-needs,
and friendships killed by foolish pride
lie in the beds of wilting reeds.
I see each error and mistake,
and wish I had another chance,
and as I feel heart start to break
I give the scene a final glace,
and Lo!, soul leaps! What do I see?
Jesus striding ‘cross the waves to me!
We “all” know we can learn from our failures. Look at Thomas Edison. But most people don’t really like failures, and yet few have a perfect “first.”
I celebrated my first book failure feeling like I’d made it into the club.
As writers, I hope we can keep growing through each word-failure and learn what is necessary to turn us into more creative authors with the best Author of all.
Fascinating! I would love to tour that museum.
Well, I’m adding this to my bucket list! It sounds like a fascinating collection… and a good reminder to never stop trying. XD
Amazing how many ideas are out there! And how so many failed innovations went on to become other inventions, such as SuperGlue, which was initially designed to be a plastic used for gunsights. It would be great to have a Failures That Became A Success Museum–including Babe Ruth’s 1,330 strikeouts resulting in 714 home runs, Colonel Sanders founding KFC at age 62 after a lifetime of failures (and really bad, bad decisions!).
And not to forget a twist on failure becoming innovation: Bette NeSmith invented Mistake Out (later renamed Liquid Paper) to hide her poor typing skills. The product was sold to Gillette for $47 million in 1979.
Here’s a fun fact in case Trivial Pursuit comes back into popularity: Michael NeSmith, of The Monkey’s TV band, was her son.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole like believing that it is stupid” Albert Einstein
Oh this is clever!!!
I have a book that I wrote that could go there!!!
I am praying that you all never do! 🙂