Get Back on the Horse and Try Again

There is a well-known metaphor of someone who falls off his horse and lands on the ground. Everyone advises him to, "Get right back on the horse and try again."

Some people find this advice relatively easy to follow. "Yes, this time I fell off, but I'll keep trying again and again. Eventually I will master the skill of horseback riding."

But some people find this very difficult and challenging. The next time they approach the horse they imagine falling off. They feel embarrassed. Their anxiety level is high. They tell themselves, "I've failed once, so I'll probably fail again and again."

So too when we want to learn and master a skill: We must try again. And then try again. And then try again. We keep trying until we master the desired skill.

Don't allow a mistake or a failure to create long lasting discouragement. If you can, encourage yourself. If you can't encourage yourself, find someone willing to offer words of encouragement.