"What Now?" Crossing The Street of Failures

"Success is not built on success, it's built on fear and it's built on failure."

    On my way home last week, as I was walking through the hospital parking lot, I passed by an elderly man grasping on to his walker and slowly making his way across the street. With only one leg to support him, he slowly made his way passed me and smiled. My heart ached for him, I wished there was something I could do. The image of him was engraved in my mind as I walked back home.

I don't know this man's story, or his journey. However, when I heard the quote above I was reminded of the man I saw. The strength in his smile, the courage of making the trek across the street. Alone, without a soul to support him. For a moment, I imagined my life in his situation.

The fear, pain, and a question. "What now?" Waking up one day and realizing your life is going to be different. Learning to leverage that knowledge as a strength instead of weakness. Using it as a crutch to success, despite the bombarding thoughts of failure. The biggest challenge for me would be in answering the question. "What now?"

You need to go to work. What now?

You need to get out of bed. What now?

You need to cross the street. What now? 

  After reflecting on this I realized the man I saw in the parking lot had far greater strength than me. He might not know all the answers, but he has the strength. To smile at a stranger. To walk across that street, all while I stood paralyzed in fear by one question. "What now?"

  Success isn't always achieving something huge and unattainable. Sometimes, for some, success is getting out of bed. Sometimes, success is finding the smile within you. Sometimes success means crossing that street. In the face of fear, undeterred by the failures of yesterday.

I want you to look at yourself, look at your life and ask yourself. "What now?" What obstacles are you Facing? What fear? and or What failure?

"What now?" Don't allow it to govern your success, make that slow trek across the street and find the strength within you to smile.