Last week I failed. Miserably. Four days into a wonderfully planned trip on the John Muir Trail, I had not slept for the previous two nights. Tired, I had lost my sunny disposition, had little gas in my legs and was making dumb decisions. So I bailed on the hike.
For me it’s extremely tough. I am not tolerant of my faults and because of this, I miss the opportunity for change. Bouncing back can be a challenge. I’ve read articles about Cisco’s John Chambers before, but in a recent interview here the CEO discusses setbacks. The key ingredient for him and his company wasn’t winning, gaining recognition or accolades. The key for his growth as a leader and Cisco was the working through failure. Bouncing back. You cannot achieve greatness without setbacks and then overcoming them.
While waiting for the other hikers to finish, I sat in the hotel room and made a list of 8-10 things to change. Next time I’ll hike differently. That’s how I bounce.
Photo by Sean Dreilinger.
