After promising faithfully that I’d be setting my alarm for 5am so I could become a morning warrior, I failed 
The alarm went off. Scared myself and hubby half to death. He was cross and as I was thinking about how I could get up without waking him again, I fell asleep 
Today’s 1 minute motivator is for anyone who has ever failed, courtesy of sap-basis-abap.com
What is Failure to a person depends on their thoughts.
Many successful people are familiar with failure as they take them on as lessons to be learned in one’s life. You will not know success if you don’t know what failure is. The failure you faced are experience for you so that you can learn from each lessons that life is trying to teach you and it broadens your knowledge and each step of failure will mold you into a better and successful person.
The next time that you think that you have failed and feel like giving up, then think of Abraham Lincoln.
Age 21: Failed in business
Age 22: Defeated in a legislative race
Age 24: Failed again in business
Age 26: Overcame the death of his sweetheart
Age 27: Had a nervous breakdown
Age 34: Lost a congressional race
Age 45: Lost a senatorial race
Age 47: Failed in an effort to become vice-president
Age 49: Lost another senatorial race
Age 52: Elected the President of the United States
The real FAILURE are those people that GIVE UP.
The first project Give A Brick is supporting is the building work at 
What should Give A Brick support next? If you have an exciting community project that, 
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a really great point, Eleanor!
There seems to be a huge cultural bias nowadays on youth, and having achieved complete success before the first crow’s feet set in. But persistence can reap significant rewards later in life. As a superficial example, Kevin Spacey comes to mind – made the jump from shoe salesman to actor comparatively late in life.
Your post made me think of a book I’ve got tagged to buy, but haven’t gotten to yet – you might find it interesting: http://www.amazon.com/Lincolns-Melancholy-Depression-Challenged-President/dp/0618551166
Kevin Powe´s last blog ..5 minute mission: Balance your benefits
Twitter: GiveABrick
February 20, 2010 at 8:38 pm
Hi Kevin, welcome to Give A Brick
Living like that doesn’t encourage one to be persistent.
I suspect part of the problem is that we live in an instant society. We’re told we can achieve anything we dream of and L’Oreal tells us girls that we’re worth it
I love stories of folks like Lincoln (and I’m not even an American
) and given the reaction to this post, I suspect I’m not alone.
By the way, did Catherine tell you that this 1 Minute Motivator series came about as a result of her?
Yeah, I’d be inclined to agree with you there – we all want to focus on the amazing success, not the difficult times leading up to it. And we want it NOW. And absolutely agreed regarding Lincoln and his contemporaries, American or British – a lot of the key figures of the time were such amazing polymaths – their intellect and passion for information is staggering.
I did indeed see the conversation regarding the 1 Minute Motivators, and I think you’ve executed the idea fantastically. The Give A Brick principle – giving people an achievable goal where they can do good.
Unfortunately I see more than I get a chance to comment on, due to time pressures from work. But I do manage to keep up on a fair amount over Twitter.
Kevin Powe´s last blog ..5 minute mission: Balance your benefits
Twitter: GiveABrick
February 21, 2010 at 3:33 pm
Given your time constraints, I appreciate your comments all the more
Catherine’s post on James’ Infopreneur blog proved the value of guest posts. I’d never come across your site prior to that post and without it, the 1min mot series might never have been born.
Thank you for your encouragement too. Much appreciated
Twitter: paulworswick
February 20, 2010 at 2:23 pm
Eleanor, an excellent post reflecting on how success and failure are really supportive friends. I love the comment about not knowing success until you’ve experienced failure. Also Lincoln’s track record shows what can be achieved with determination.
Regards
Paul
Twitter: GiveABrick
February 20, 2010 at 8:48 pm
Hi Paul
As much as success and failure have to be bed fellows, it can be hard to appreciate that when you’re living through the latter. We’d all like fairy tale success stories like that of Abraham Lincoln wouldn’t we? That’s why it’s good to be reminded of just how persistent the real success stories have had to be. Thomas Edison’s definition of genius sums it up for me: “1% inspiration, 99% perspiration”
Twitter: kruby
February 20, 2010 at 3:16 pm
This is a great reminder, Eleanor! I had forgotten all about the failures of Lincoln. You sometimes only see the success of people and not what they had to go through behind the scenes and how many times they failed.
The real FAILURE are those people that GIVE UP. –> so true!
We all have failures to deal with in our life. Being able to deal with them, and dust ourselves off from the floor sometimes, is what really separates us from those that never get up after falling down.
Karen´s last blog ..Friday’s Links
Twitter: GiveABrick
February 20, 2010 at 8:56 pm
Thanks Karen
This post seems to have really hit a nerve with people. I must confess that I knew little about Abraham Lincoln prior to this but the gent has gone up in my estimation.
Harry Potter author JK Rowling was turned down by every publisher who read her manuscript prior to Bloomsbury appreciating it’s magic. Given that she was a pennyless single mum at the time, that was persistence too
Thanks for stopping by. It’s great to see you
hi eleanor,
how are you?
the statement ‘the real failures are those who give up’, really hit home.
it reminded me of previous and current events i’ve experienced and the determination to go the whole 9 yards in order to get productive results.
take care of yourself and enjoy the rest of the weekend.
ayo´s last blog ..Are You Wearing A Disguise
Twitter: GiveABrick
February 20, 2010 at 9:05 pm
Hi Ayo,
Thanks to the wonders of Gravatar, I recognised you straight away even if I didn’t know your name 
Lovely to see you here and many, many thanks for giving a brick too
Patience and persistence are things that should be on every high school curriculum I suspect. It’s just a shame it takes us to at least our third decade to start appreciating the need for them (or maybe that’s just me
)
I trust you are having a great weekend. As you’ll see on FB, we went for a family meal to celebrate our eldest’s 7th birthday so it’s been a fun time here
In this day an age where it seems everyone is striving for perfection, it good to read this awesome reminder!
Victor´s last blog ..The Company of Myself
Twitter: GiveABrick
February 20, 2010 at 9:15 pm
Thanks Victor and welcome to Give A Brick
I just came back from your place now and I’ve got to ask about the pinkish blue reference. What’s that about? I couldn’t find your ‘about me’ page so I’m hoping you’ll spill the beans 
Eleanor
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