It’s a new year. Time for fresh beginnings and greater resolve. Truthfully, you can start a new goal or recommit your efforts on any day of the year but there is nothing wrong with considering January a clean slate. Today, I have been thinking about this quote by Samuel Becket:
'Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.' - Samuel BeckettThe first time I reflected on this quote was when I saw it as a tattoo on the arm of professional tennis player Stan Wawrinka. Since my husband is a tennis coach, needless to say, there is a whole lot of tennis discussed and watched on TV, but I digress…
When we started watching tennis together as a family, I always rooted for Stan. He is a fine player and I admire the effort and heart that he puts into his game. I was always happy when he won the match. But, whenever he would lose to other players, the announcers would talk about the tattoo on his arm.
Over time, my husband can tell you how much I started to hate this quote. I decided the tattoo was not helping him at all and it was making him okay with failing rather than inspiring him to win. I stopped rooting for Stan.
Well, the tennis season is upon the Pardee household once again as the Australian Open kicks off on Monday. This, along with the start of the new year, got me thinking about Stan, the quote, and myself. I have always been upset that I don’t have a real hobby or true passion. You see, I am a dabbler. For example, I love acquiring cookbooks and collecting recipes, but I am no Ina Garten. I love mixology and all things cocktail, but I am no Orlando Marzo. I love everything about entertaining, but I am no Martha Stewart. I started a blog in 2018, but it’s no Cupcakes & Cashmere. You get the idea.
The truth is I am good at many things but I tend not to stick with them because I get discouraged. I am very hard on myself when my dinner doesn’t come out the way I had hoped at Christmas or when I go through an entire roll of vinyl trying to create my first DIY Cricut project.
'Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.' - Samuel BeckettThe whole premise of my blog is that midlife is an opportunity to be better. I am inspired by Ina Garten, Martha Stewart, Orlando Mazo, and Emily Schuman but I don’t have to operate on their level and no one expects me to. But I can be better. I can cook more, mix cocktails more, entertain more, and craft more. I will make mistakes. I will fail. But I can try again and I can fail better.
This year I am rooting for Stan, I am rooting for myself, and I am rooting for you too. Here’s to us all trying something new this year, failing, trying again, and failing better.
I am inspired by this quote as well. We do fail at times and are hard on ourselves. However, we can also learn from those past mistakes and make an effort to improve. We build character that way and also it makes us stronger. It also helps us to fine tune what it is that we really want to achieve.
Great article!
I completely agree! I especially like your comment about it helping us to fine-tune what it is we want to achieve. Sometimes we may think we want to master something but then we learn we really would like to go in a different direction. We won’t know until we try!
Hey Carol,
Well after a year and a half drought I am finally back to work. Don’t know if that counts as a resolution but its definitely a positive step.
And certainly falls in with not giving up!
BTW – Nothing wrong with being a ‘jack (or Jane) of all trades’. Its the ‘master of none’ part to watch out for. 🙂
Sam
Such fantastic news Sam! Congratulations! I think perseverance is very important in all areas of life. I tend to use it in some areas and not in others so this year I would like to change that :))
Love this post! I relate so much 🙂
Thank you! I do hope to put it into practice this year!