Hello Misfit Nation! Welcome to another edition of "Lessons for Hannah!"
In November of 2016, we introduced a new format that we are putting alongside our regular episodes called “Lessons for Hannah.” Hannah is my daughter and one of the main inspirations for the Misfit Entrepreneur. I wanted to have a place where she could go and learn from her daddy and his Misfit friends throughout her life….even after I am gone. If you haven’t listened to the first episode of "Lessons for Hannah," I urge you to as it gives some more background and tells the amazing story of how Hannah came to be in our lives.
"Lessons for Hannah" are short, very useful, and sometimes comical lessons, that I have learned which I want to share with you and give to Hannah to help in your lives. Because I want Hannah to have these for her life, I’m going to speak as though I am talking directly to her. These episodes are a lot of fun and if you think there is a lesson that we should include in these episodes, please don’t hesitate to send it over to us at support@misfitentrepreneur.com. We’d love to share it.
This week’s Lesson for Hannah
Hannah, I want to talk to you about mistakes. As you go through life, you will make many mistakes. You simply cannot avoid them. You will fail. It is part of life and what makes each person’s journey unique. This is OK. It is not a bad thing at all. You’ve heard me say to you over and over that it is OK to make a mistake or fail, but what did you learn about it?
And of course, finishing this sentence, “What do we do when we fall….” That’s right, we get back up. We keep getting back up. But, I want you to know – no matter how many mistakes you make and failures that you have, you can always overcome them. You can always make a comeback.
I was reminded of this recently when we had a guest speaker come to our Grow Thrive Revive event. His name was Rob Decker and he told an incredible story of stubbornness, failure, and redemption.
Rob, grew up with a rough family life where even his dad would not acknowledge him as his son. He started drinking and doing drugs at a very young age, but ironically also bodybuilding. Talk about an example of looking good on the outside but destroying yourself on the inside. Rob, also ran with a rough crowd and with people that would drag him down. He went through everything from arrests to bad relationships to dealing drugs. In fact, in one of his darkest moments after a fight with a girlfriend, who called the police and lied about what had happened, he actually gave up on life and threw himself out of a 3rd story window. He thought it would kill him, but he bounced off an awning landing in a way that broke his back and a bunch of other things but did not kill him.
When he came awake in the hospital, the cops were there to arrest him. But as he spent the next few days in the hospital chained to a bed, he spoke to the police and the police started to investigate finding out that he was actually not guilty and dropped his arrest.
But, he still had problems. He got out, healed, and started to get his life back together, but he could not quit drinking. In fact, a few years later he was driving after drinking, totaled his car and took off from the scene. He hid for a whole night under a porch where he prayed to God that if he could just get out of the trouble he was in, he would change everything. He would quit drinking, clean himself up, and devote his life to good.
And in fact, through some miracle, he did not get into trouble. And finally, after all the years of screwing up, getting into trouble, abusing his body, and destroying relationships, he finally got the message, got help, and devoted himself to the promise he made to god. He now has a wonderful family, travels telling his story and the lessons learned, and has a personal training business in Colorado Springs.
Rob was stubborn. It took many more years and mistakes than it should have for him to learn his lessons, but he eventually did learn the lessons. The message I want you to take away from his story is first, make it a point to learn from your mistakes and failure when they happen and make meaningful changes if needed. Don’t put them off because if you do when you finally have to confront them, they will be much worse and harder to correct than if you had confronted them in the first place. Second, even if you don’t learn your lesson the first time, or the next 20 times, if you are willing, you can still learn it and always find redemption. You can always overcome your mistakes and failures. Even when things seem the bleakest and darkest, there is a healthy way out. You may have to ask for help, but you can do it. The human spirit is strong and has the potential to overcome so much.
Always keep that in mind as you go through your life. You will make mistakes and you will fail, but you can always learn, grow, and come back from it – many times even stronger than you were before. Believe in that and believe in yourself.
I love you, Daddy
Best Quote: “You will make mistakes and you will fail, but you can always learn, grow, and come back from it – many times even stronger than you were before. Believe in that and believe in yourself.."
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