How to Turn Failures to Treasures|Sally Field with Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey interviewed Sally Field recently on OWN. Fortunately, I DVRd it. Oprah asked Sally about failures, and it must be something I needed to hear, because I’ve replayed that bit several times. You might find the discussion helpful, too, so here you go.
Oprah to Sally:
“I read that you believe: Failures are your treasures. What is your philosophy about failures?”
Sally:
“Oh, wow,” says Sally. (Obviously, Sally thinks this is a big question; she pauses momentarily and then answers.)
“They are so unbelievably painful. I really honestly do believe that all the times that I failed or got stuck or stumped, like my career came to a screeching halt and I was persona non grata … it was the times of that painful — what felt like failure to me, that somehow I’d done something wrong — that made me readjust and go down, as they say, a path, something that I would not have done.”
“… And then I would churn and push and grow and figure and take another path and do another thing and all of a sudden something would happen again.”
This last year has been tough for me and many of you. If you’ve experienced what you now perceive as failure, down the road, if you keep churning and pushing and readjusting, all of a sudden, like Sally, something will happen, and you too can turn your painful path to treasure and success. Hang in there. This could be the best chapter of your life.
P.S. Do YOU have any words of wisdom, quotes or encouragement thoughts? I hope you’ll comment below and share. Just type your reply and click on the “Comment” icon.
Thanks for sharing those quotes … all good. Mistakes are the best teachers. If you’ve never made a mistake or failed, you haven’t lived. I have been inspired by Wayne Dyer’s books for years. Love Wally Amos’s story. I had never heard of Tryon Edwards, so I Googled him. Thanks for introducing me to another great thought leader!
I do not have any words of wisdom but I have some quotes I would like to share. But first, I would like to say I like your use of the words “pushing and readjusting.” That’s what I do, I keep pushing ahead and readjusting even if I may have adjusted incorrectly.
These three quotes have some meaning for me:
Some of the best lessons we ever learn we learn from our mistakes and failures. The error of the past is the wisdom of the future. (Tryron Edwards)
It doesn’t matter how many say it cannot be done or how many people have tried it before; it’s important to realize that whatever you’re doing, it’s your first attempt at it. (Wally Amos)
Failure is a judgment, an opinion. It stems from your fears, which can be eliminated by love — love for yourself, love for what you do, love for others, and love for your planet. (Wayne Dyer)