the importance of trying

by Rachel Marie Martin


Over the weekend I wrote a post titled 51 Things You Can Do to Bless Your Kids. It was a simple list, really, one that I wrote from my heart – it’s those things that we all kind of know but don’t articulate or remember to do. One of the items that I dear to me is the idea of letting kids try. We need to embrace, to give opportunities for not only our children, but for ourselves to just try.

Trying is not failing.

You’ve heard me write those words. Over and over and over again. When we try, we are pushing ourselves to dream, to be better, to look beyond the present, and ultimately to embrace the moment that we are blessed to live in.

I often sit in our living room and remind my kids about Thomas Edison and how many times it took him to invent the light bulb. They’ll look at me, and I’ll tell them that it took him more than 1000 times to actually figure out how to get the lightbulb to work. Then, I’ll look them in the eyes, and I will ask them why it’s important that he kept trying all those times. The first couple of  times, they tell me because otherwise we wouldn’t have a lightbulb.

No.

Otherwise someone else would have invented the lightbulb.

When we stop trying, we in fact, actually allow opportunity to pass us by.

Our kids need to be taught to keep trying, to keep pushing, to keep believing in dreams that often don’t even seem possible. Of course we can chat about options, strategies, realities, and ways to implement. We can embrace their dream and help them figure out ways to make it become a reality.  Just don’t stop and squash the dream or the need to try when it’s new and fresh.

Let them invent. Create. Make a mess. Fail. Succeed. Keep trying.

And that goes to you as well. Today, pick yourself up, look at your day and try. Look at the to-do list, your goals, your dreams, and put yourself out there. Be bold.

We need more bold in this world.

Imagine if Edison had decided to quit the time before he succeeded. 

Keep going. Keep trying. Live boldly.

And teach that to your kids.

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13 comments

Pharr Away... November 12, 2012 - 3:16 pm

Such an amazing perspective concerning Edison! This post is worth printing out & putting on the refrigerator just so I remember the importance of not only allowing her to try but allowing myself as well! Thanks again for your wisdom!!!

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Rachel November 12, 2012 - 3:30 pm

Thank you so much for your kind words. Blessings on today!
Rachel

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christina November 12, 2012 - 3:44 pm

well said!

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Rachel November 12, 2012 - 3:56 pm

Thank you, Christina. 🙂

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Staci November 12, 2012 - 4:10 pm

amen! this is such a great reminder for life with my son … an unwavering perfectionist who will get angry at each “failure” (a version of my former selff). but, it’s also a great reminder for me. all i can do is try, each and every day. thank you, again, for being awesome.

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Krista November 12, 2012 - 4:49 pm

What a powerful reminder! So blessed to read this. Right now. in THIS moment. Thank you Rachel.

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Rachel November 12, 2012 - 7:30 pm

Thank you Krista and Staci.
I think it’s easy to stop – there is so much power in the idea of continuing to try.
Blessings!
Rachel

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Margaret Feinberg November 12, 2012 - 7:32 pm

“Trying is not failing.”–so true! and how often we forget this!

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Twisted Cinderella November 12, 2012 - 8:00 pm

Such a great post!

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happymumma November 13, 2012 - 2:32 am

Love, love, love, love this! Honestly I don’t think we can be reminded of this too often. Thank you for this post.

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Anonymous November 13, 2012 - 4:17 am

You are amazing, and your words are inspiring. Thank you.

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Jessica November 13, 2012 - 8:41 pm

you astound me with your maternal wisdom. i just love this. be blessed! xo

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Louanne November 20, 2012 - 9:49 pm

Oh I love this! We tell our girls all the time to never give up and that it’s okay to fail as long as you keep on trying.
thanks.

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