Learning to Fall

I have a confession to make, one that's probably a little peculiar coming from someone who's never ridden anything fiercer than the old mechanical horse that used to sit out in front of the TG&Y in my home town of Enid, Oklahoma: I love rodeo.

It's not very politically correct, and it certainly couldn't be called a gentleman's sport, but I have loved the intricate ballet between man and beast since I was old enough to see it.

I love it most of all, though, because it taught me life's greatest lesson: how to fall.

First off, I don't believe in failure. If you woke up today, if you're reading this, you have an opportunity to shake off all the mud, all the dirt of your past and move on. But first you have to change your mindset: you do not FAIL, you FALL. And when you falls, the first thought on your mind as you wipe away the dust, the mud, and the manure, should be what you are going to do next.

If you've ever watched a rodeo, falling happens pretty much 100% of the time in bronc and bull riding events. It's not a matter of if, but when. And if you watch the rider closely, you will see they tuck their extremities, they roll...and most of the time they hustle out of the arena before their mount decides to grind them into the turf.

And that is, I believe, one of the greatest lessons you can learn. When obstacles come, and they will, plan for them. Know how you're going to land, know where you're going to land, and know what you're going to do next. Each ride makes you stronger, each fall makes you wiser, and each time you rise and walk makes you bolder.