I am a member of several teaching groups. As we near the end of the school year, I see the running theme is teacher burnout and thoughts of quitting the profession. Some teachers have actually quit their jobs and others are contemplating the idea. Teacher burnout is common at this time of the year. How burned out we are as teachers depend on how good, bad, or somewhere in between our year has been. The more difficult the year, the more burned out the teacher! My heart went out to one teacher whose difficult year had led her to question her abilities as a teacher and feeling like a failure.
I was listening to a Bible study, when the teacher used this quote to make a point, “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” This quote was courtesy of the Michael Jordan, you know, the one who was cut from his high school Varsity basketball team. The basketball icon who went on to lead the league in NBA scoring for 10 seasons (NBA record), 6 Finals MVPs (NBA record), and so much more that Michael Jordan is considered the most decorated player in NBA history. Why is that? It was because of his attitude towards failure.
For many people, failure (whatever it is) is enough to put them off, leery of trying again. For others, failure is enough to make them quit. Too many failures, and the rest is history! Failure connotes negativity, after all, the definition alone means lack of success, a lack or deficiency of a desirable quality, and the action or state of not functioning. Often times failure causes us to question our abilities as a parent, as a teacher, as an admin, as a speech teacher, as a vision teacher, etc. We see failure as something bad, that we must have done something wrong. We doubt our qualifications, and begin to think we are not good enough. But what if failure is an option?
What do I mean by that? What if failure is an option for an opportunity for growth! We are going to face failure. That is inevitable. But, don’t let failure be your demise. Don’t let failure be the reason why you quit your teaching job. Don’t let failure be the reason why you question your parenting ability. It is all about attitude… choices.
Like most people, Michael lamented his failure. In his mind, not making the varsity squad was the ultimate defeat, the ultimate failure. According to Michael, “I went to my room and I closed the door and I cried.” He was heartbroken and ready to give up the sport altogether until his mother convinced him otherwise. But, even after his mother’s convincing, Michael had to make a choice. He had an option… to quit, or pick himself up. We know what Michael chose!!!
Treat your failure as an option to rethink, regroup, and try again. Let failure be the vehicle that drives you to do better, learn more, and/or refine skills. Allow failure, disappointments, and setbacks, to become a pattern throughout your life of redoubling your efforts to succeed. Draw on your strengths while you develop your weaknesses. And always remember, what you tried might have failed, but you yourself is not a failure!!!