Failing Well

I watched a dance competition on DVD the other day. It was up to the normal Hollywood standards of excellence as far as the production was concerned. The dance crews were really good and it was easy to see why some of them were touted as possibly the best dance crews in the country. There was a lot of innovation and technical aptitude and sometimes some of the moves performed exhibited extreme athleticism. Those guys were really exceptional.

What touched me most was the realisation of just how normal those dancers were. When performing, one would be tempted to think they were from another planet or dimension. They cried, laughed, got scared, got excited, got tired and got injured too. There were moments when the fans and judges loved everything they did and there were also times when their performances left them crestfallen. Some were bitter when they had to leave the competition whereas some graciously accepted defeat.

The team that won had unsuccessfully auditioned three times before and this was fourth time lucky. This group started the competition as underdogs and then went on to win over the hearts and minds of the viewing public culminating in their much deserved victory. What intrigued me was the fact that they went back home every year from unsuccessful auditions and kept on improving themselves. They never gave up or decided to go try something else.  They were so focused on their goal that it didn’t matter how many times they were going to be rejected. They kept at it and finally won the competition beating very stiff competition in the process. They were quick to thank God for their victory before acknowledging anyone else.

This led me to consider the level of passion that I have for my dreams and I extend the same reflections to you. How willing are you to fail in the pursuit of your dreams? How do you handle rejection? How much effort are you already putting into achieving your goal? These people are extremely gifted but also extremely hard working. Does this reflect you level of commitment to the achievement of your dreams?