There was a time when I loved moving into the New Year…. 

Having taken stock of my progress within the year before, there'd been time to dream the dreams, to consider the 'clean' slate ahead and plan afresh for my impending “success”. Then, with mind and heart agog with the prospects of a successful, if not perfect, year….it was time to bound forward fearlessly. 

Year after year I would take time to review my accomplishments. Year after year I would become increasingly despondent. Perhaps I'd placed the bar too high. Maybe I'd been unrealistic, not considered the economy, the family, a lack of blinkered disciplined …. my advancing years! All too often the year ended with much “undone”. In other words, anything but success! 

Success. When I think about how it is defined in our western culture it seems to have everything to do with things “positive, merry and bright”. We have it on authority that success is simply a matter of commitment, action - results! If we but follow the prescribed five (seven or ten) “right” steps all will be well. We'll become experts. Success is guaranteed. And if we don't
achieve it, it's because we're simply not trying hard enough - or we're trying too hard! 

Success. When I think about it, it would seem to have everything to do with achievement, attaining goals, meeting standards.  There seems to be little room for error. No room for dark times. 

And yet, over the years, I've come to appreciate that my true successes have come from my mistakes. It wasn't until I started to look as closely at my breakdowns as my breakthroughs, that I came to understand that as much, if not more, could come from the ashes as from the flames. 

Success. Perhaps it has to do with how good a learner we are, rather than the expert we've become. 

You think?