Failing to Succeed

This past weekend I had the privilege of attending a leadership forum at Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL. I listened to some of the top minds in our nation address the subject of successful leadership. Here are some "sum total" observations that I have calculated in my oversaturated brain from that experience.

• One of the key characteristics of successful leaders is their willingness to fail.

I heard one speaker ask this question: "What am I failing aggressively at?"

I immediatley think about John Ortberg's book "If You Want To Walk On Water You've Got To Get Out Of The Boat." It's a book about doing extraordinary things through the strength of Christ. The premise is based on the story of Peter walking on water. And here is where the key lies:

Healthy fear is a part of faith. If we are sensitive to hearing the call of Christ then it means getting our of the boat and stepping into the realm of the unknown. Dude, I don't know about you but that can be down-right scary for most people.

But think of the reward; WALKING ON WATER! WOW!

My Conclusion:

Did Peter sink? Yes.

Did he fail? to some degree, yes.

Did he experience something extraordinary? Absolutely.

Did Peter quit the team after he sunk? Absolutely not.

We know of Peter's failures but we also know how God used Peter to be a "World -changer."

God help us not to fear failure but to use it for wisdom as we press on toward the mark of Your High-calling!