wellbeing
fail safe
Falling short of your target is not shameful – it’s a necessary step towards success, writes Cat Woods.
MY DAY ON A PLATE Sally Fitzgibbons, 27 Professional surfer
inston Churchill observed that “success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” But still failure is feared – failure at work, at relationships, in meeting the expectations of friends, family and society. “People fear failure for a number of reasons,” says psychologist Deborah Newburn. “This may be due to having grown up in a critical environment where making a mistake was punished or ridiculed. “When someone perceives they have failed, the threat system in their brain is switched on and contributes to ongoing fear about negative consequences that may occur. This can lead people to feel very anxious, which they attribute to the ‘failure’ rather than to how they’re responding.” Yet responding to that feeling of failure with perseverance is the key to success. Economics editor and columnist for the Financial Times, Tim Harford, is an advocate of making “good mistakes”. In his book Adapt: Why Success Always Starts With Failure, Harford outlines the key ways that failure can be a catalyst for adapting and thriving. “Expose yourself to lots of different ideas and try lots of different approaches, on the grounds that failure is common,” Harford advises. David Hughes runs Bendigo’s Festival of Failure which is pitched at “anyone who has ever dreamed big”. He believes flexibility, adaptability and the willingness to embrace the great unknown is key to reframing failure as humbling and necessary. “The accepted definition of failure is really a lack of success, but what we’re trying to promote is that failure
5.45am A litre of water during my stretch and mobility program and a banana and an apple before a surf. 8am Paleo bar and water with electrolytes before the gym. 10.30am Water, a peach, blueberries and walnuts. 11.30am Poached eggs with avocado, chilli, lime and sunflower seeds on sprouted rye bread, with roasted vegies – capsicum, pumpkin, beetroot, eggplant, onion in coconut oil and Himalayan salt. 1pm Water and half a Super Bite bar before another surf. 3pm Acai smoothie bowl with mango-coconut paleo muesli. 6:45pm Soy, orange and sesame salmon with greens and soba noodles. 8pm Lemon ginger tea.
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“Plans that seduce us into thinking failure is impossible are dangerous.” is a great teacher. If we learn from it, we can go on to greater success.” Here are some ways to reframe failure. Expect it Psychologist Michelle McCormack says you need to have realistic expectations. “Nobody is perfect and we have to allow room for failure in our lives. It is likely you are magnifying your mistakes and minimising all the things you have done really well.” Be prepared to adapt Flexibility and a plan B, C and D are musts for overcoming setbacks. “Plans are good but remember [military strategist] Von Moltke’s famous dictum that no plan survives first contact with the enemy,” Harford says. “Plans that seduce us into thinking failure is impossible are dangerous. Learn from it Failure is an opportunity to learn and evolve. “You may have messed up or not be where you hoped to be, but focus on what you can control to go forward,” says McCormack. “For example, you may not have got the job you wanted, but you can focus on improving your CV, building interview skills or gaining further accreditation to enhance your chances of getting the next one.” Persevere “If you keep going, you’ll get there,” Hughes says. •
Dr Joanna McMillan says:
Top marks for … Drinking plenty of water! Big tick for smashing your recommended fruit and vegie intake, too. If you keep eating like this you’ll … Have to get calcium into your diet. Also watch the intake of coconut oil. Your snacks are packed with it and you cook with it. There is little evidence to support the health claims made about this fat. Why don’t you try … Cooking in extra virgin olive oil for a boost of good fats, vitamin E and antioxidants. Having whole coconut or tree nuts in place of coconut oil. Summer Fit All Year Round by Sally Fitzgibbons is published by Macmillan Australia.
Photography by Stocksy. My Day on a Plate complied by Nicole Economos
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wellbeing
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