Do you use the F word? That nasty word nobody wants to hear. I was listening to the radio recently when there was a series of the F word and business.  Commentators from Silicon Valley startups said something like "If they don't use the word, I don't whole trust them." 

Yes I am talking about the F- word

Fail!

The radio article proceeded to say that we often fail many, many times. It’s how we react and what we learn that ultimately determines if we are failures. These business leaders were saying failure is a precursor to success, so much that failure is expected and if you haven’t failed then you will.

Last year at Family Reunion, Gary Keller gave an inspirational speech about people through history who could have been perceived as failures. Abraham Lincoln is one of our most respected Presidents. He lost elections at the local, the state, and the national level. When Lincoln gave his now famous Gettysburg Address, he was the opening act. The war was going very bad; many people were questioning his leadership. But he stayed the course and was able to keep the country together.

When General George Washington crossed the Delaware River his army was in shambles, desertion levels were high, and members of the Continental Congress were suggesting replacing him. But on that one night, General Washington and his rag-tag army turned the tide of the war.

Take a risk and if you have to use the f word, then so be it.

You become a failure when you give up.