oops!... i did it again

greetings beautiful beings,

you know that old saying about falling down seven times & standing up eight? let’s talk about those seven falls & the crippling anxiety that often accompanies each one.

just how procrastination isn’t really about the work itself,
our fear of failure isn’t really about the failure itself.

nope.

it's about the loud, messy disco of doubts it sets off inside us. what will people think if they see us fail? the "i'm not good enough" track plays on loop in our heads so loudly that we can’t hear anything else.

but here’s the plot twist we always know is coming, but also somehow always manage to forget in the moment:

we freak out over potential failures before they happen, but once we've faced them? we shrug them off our failures like they were no biggie.

all this to say that our fear of failure doesn’t just hold us back. it's got us in a full-on chokehold for all the wrong reasons.

time to break free together!

hot mess-age

think about the last time you took a wrong turn. maybe it was a work project that flopped, a relationship that fizzled, or a side hustle that went silent.

sure, it felt rough, but where did it take you?

in our brain, we think that wrong turn = dead end. when really they’re detours on a more scenic route.

you only really fail when you stop.

most of what we call failures are actually just stumbles, mistakes, or screw ups along the path. they can feel like a hot mess express, but there is always magic & messages in the mess.

failure isn’t final.

gold in the goof ups

we’ve all tripped up. it’s part of the human remix.

yet somehow we make it into such a big deal in our heads & we tell ourselves terrible lies like we’re a bad human & will be abandoned for our failures. we then make it even worse by comparing ourselves exclusively to successful people in their success era.

the truth is successful people aren't the ones who fail the least.

they’re the ones who fail the most.

they're the ones who stumble, fall, & get back up. they’re stubborn & their bounce-back game is strong AF.

so please remember that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s a crucial component. it’s the space where we test theories, hone skills, & build resilience.

the greatest explorers, inventors, & creators didn’t just stumble into success—they sailed straight into storms of setbacks.

time to start toasting your trials with the mindset of “thank you, next!”

wounds are wisdom

failure is evidence you’re in the game, not just spectating.

every bruise tells a story. each one teaches something new about resilience, about grit, & about yourself. &, let’s be honest, a little battle scarring? it just makes your victory dance that much sweeter.

despite how much we think we can avoid failure, failure is a requirement in the game of life.

as humans, we're drawn to the hero's journey for a reason—it's packed with trials, setbacks, & transformations. like it or not, we're living that hero's journey.

everything is unfolding for you, not against you.

so let your failures be where you pen the powerful chapter in your memoir. this is where you turn setbacks into growth & lessons into legacies. this is where you truly grow.

because we all know failure teaches us so much more than just success.

toast your trials

think of the fear of failure as the tough bouncer blocking the club of your dream life. facing this fear is the price of entry.

the scary truth is that there’s something you should actually fear more.

imagine lying on your deathbed,
haunted by dreams you never chased.
that’s the real horror.

so, let's choose to confront our fears head-on. practice accepting rather than avoiding failure. life is infinitely sweeter when you know you've given your dreams your best shot.

& here’s a little trick i’ve found helpful whenever i’m tangled up in the emotions & insecurities of a failure. i take a step back & ask myself:

"how will i tell this story in 7 days, 7 months, 7 years?"

this perspective shift isn't just about seeing the bigger picture—it's about realizing that today’s oops are tomorrow’s ops.

merry partner: value investor daily

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i double dog dare you to try,

p.s. as we quickly approach the midway mark of the year, i’m eager to get your feedback on this newsletter. will you please click your answer below ⤵️ you’ll be able to add more feedback after choosing an option or you can directly reply. always looking for ways to make you more merry!