Failing Well!
This past weekend, I was watching my son play the video game Guitar Hero III. He had just bought it the day before and was eagerly trying to 'beat' the game. Now, in order to do this, he had to successfully complete a great number of songs. One in particular seemed to be giving him more of a challenge than he wanted. At least, that is what I discerned from his cries of defeat...borderline deafening!
I calmly encouraged him to keep trying while simultaneously suggesting that it might be time for a 'game break'. (That, incidentally, is a euphemism for "if you don't settle down, you will put that game away for the rest of your life"). The more he tried, the more determined he became. He actually did settle down and into what seemed to be an intentional strategic approach to achieving 'victory'.
I began to relish this journey he was taking from the agony of defeat to, hopefully, the thrill of victory. Of course, as a mom, I was hoping victory would come really fast! Honestly, I didn't even know what to look for to know if he had won or not. (Most of these games are so confusing to me, and I am kind of in awe of his abilities to do them at all). I needn't have worried about that. When he finally did win, the whoops and hollers of that much awaited victory could not be ignored or misunderstood. When he won, he immediately turned toward me. Oh, to hear his sweet voice and to see his glowing face in that moment...priceless! I was so glad I could experience it with him. I rejoiced with him and then said, "Don't those failed tries make your victory feel even sweeter?!" At first, no...he didn't think so, but then...yes, he admitted that the failures did make his victory feel even bigger.
Now, I know this story simply involves a video game...nothing major. But I truly loved the teachable moment I had with my son. More than that, I loved watching his journey. What I saw happening was a young teen who was feeling such defeat, but who refused to give up because he was determined to win. In his journey of determination, his anger turned to a new resolve...that of a more quiet perseverance. This finally led to victory. To be able to talk about the importance of that victorious journey rather than the actual 'win' over that song was so meaningful to me.
This is not the first time my son and I have used his video game frustrations to carve out a metaphor for victorious journeys in life - journeys from failure to victory - journeys that truly help us to know that it is the failures that cause the victories to taste even sweeter.
I find myself reminded by my son's experiences to not let the fear of failure keep me from taking the journey of quiet perseverance. It is in these journeys that God is able to show me that His strength is made perfect in my weaknesses. (2 Cor. 12:9) If I truly want to experience God doing a BIG victory in me and through me, then I have to be willing to fail BIG rather than to not try at all! Not trying is quite possibly the biggest defeat.
Thanks for reading,
Libby
I calmly encouraged him to keep trying while simultaneously suggesting that it might be time for a 'game break'. (That, incidentally, is a euphemism for "if you don't settle down, you will put that game away for the rest of your life"). The more he tried, the more determined he became. He actually did settle down and into what seemed to be an intentional strategic approach to achieving 'victory'.
I began to relish this journey he was taking from the agony of defeat to, hopefully, the thrill of victory. Of course, as a mom, I was hoping victory would come really fast! Honestly, I didn't even know what to look for to know if he had won or not. (Most of these games are so confusing to me, and I am kind of in awe of his abilities to do them at all). I needn't have worried about that. When he finally did win, the whoops and hollers of that much awaited victory could not be ignored or misunderstood. When he won, he immediately turned toward me. Oh, to hear his sweet voice and to see his glowing face in that moment...priceless! I was so glad I could experience it with him. I rejoiced with him and then said, "Don't those failed tries make your victory feel even sweeter?!" At first, no...he didn't think so, but then...yes, he admitted that the failures did make his victory feel even bigger.
Now, I know this story simply involves a video game...nothing major. But I truly loved the teachable moment I had with my son. More than that, I loved watching his journey. What I saw happening was a young teen who was feeling such defeat, but who refused to give up because he was determined to win. In his journey of determination, his anger turned to a new resolve...that of a more quiet perseverance. This finally led to victory. To be able to talk about the importance of that victorious journey rather than the actual 'win' over that song was so meaningful to me.
This is not the first time my son and I have used his video game frustrations to carve out a metaphor for victorious journeys in life - journeys from failure to victory - journeys that truly help us to know that it is the failures that cause the victories to taste even sweeter.
I find myself reminded by my son's experiences to not let the fear of failure keep me from taking the journey of quiet perseverance. It is in these journeys that God is able to show me that His strength is made perfect in my weaknesses. (2 Cor. 12:9) If I truly want to experience God doing a BIG victory in me and through me, then I have to be willing to fail BIG rather than to not try at all! Not trying is quite possibly the biggest defeat.
Thanks for reading,
Libby
Labels: Libby
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