What Does a Two Year Old Know About Failure?
“In one success a thousand failures lie forgotten. In one refusal to try a thousand successes prematurely die”
1) Let Nothing Stand in Your Way
If a 2 year old sees a cookie on the counter, do you honestly think that he is going to walk the other way? Of course not, he will locate a chair, push it over to the counter, climb up and get that cookie. If he sees a dog, he is going to walk right up to that dog no matter how big and viscous and he will reach out his hand to pet it. If your 2 year old is like mine, he will even hug the dog. These aren’t risk-free moves, yet a 2 year old acts with out fear and is oblivious to the consequences of his actions.
2) Do Not Limit Your Determination
There is no limit to their determination. They don’t say”Okay, I’m going to try walking 10 times and if I can’t get it, I’ll just quit.” No, they try until they get it. They may change their approach and try different tactics, but they try until they get what it is they want, no matter how many bumps and bruises it involves.
3) Driven by Desire
Their ability to keep on trying is driven by their desire. Their desire to get what they want is what motivates them to keep trying. They have no hidden agendas, they do not con themselves into thinking they want a carrot when really they want a cookie. They are honest about their desires and that is the driving force for their determination to get it.
4) Do Not Dwell
When they slip and fall or don’t quite reach their objective, they don’t beat themselves up. They don’t take it personally. Sure, they do get upset, but they move on! They don’t dwell on it for weeks, days or even hours, usually they are trying to conquer another objective within a few minutes.
5) Ask For Help
2 year old’s are not above asking for help. If there is something they can’t reach, they tug on your sleeve or grab your hand and point to what they want. It doesn’t offend them or make them feel less of a person because they asked for help. They take the help when offered and ask for help when needed.
6) Learn by Imitation
They learn how to succeed by watching their surroundings. They watch mannerisms by listening to words, emotions, and actions. This is how they learn how to walk and talk by imitating those who are successfully accomplishing what they desire.
7) Gratefulness
When they do get help, they are grateful for it. They show their gratitude with a smile, a hug or maybe even a “tank oo”.
The greatest failure is in the refusal to try. When did we as adults learn to fail?
Forever and Always,
Brandi
Personal Growth, Self Improvement |4 Responses to “What Does a Two Year Old Know About Failure?”
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Brandi, this is just awesome! The way you’ve laid it out. The way you show us “how” a two-year old handles failure. It does make me think - when did it change? Was is a gradual process (I think so). We would do well to learn from the two-year olds, the kids, those not afraid of failure. The one that hits home for me is “do not dwell”. I tend to do this. And why? I should learn from it, and then forget it and move on. So easy to say, so hard to do. That will be my goal going forward - to dwell less and act more.
Oh the good ole’ days! I have three children 14, 10 and 8
You have 7 fantastic tips/ideas/observances! Great post!
Thanks for this. It helps remind me that children do not fear change. They embrace it, because it’s all they know. Things have been changing every day since the day they are born, and they learn something new and experience something for the first time every day.
We marvel at how “brave” our children are. How they embrace everything and marvel at all around them. They have not unlearned the things that we’ve forgotten. And if we can take from them, one singe thing, it is that the only constant in life is change, and it should be embraced.
Keep up the good fight Brandi,
Adam
hi
Lots of kisses to your two year old…. :-*
Regards
Jay.