Failure Archives - Page 5 of 5 - Chantal Breytenbach Coaching

How to use your PAWs to overcome obstacles

I recently read The Obstacle is the Way. I felt the message of the book was timely, not just because of what we as a global society are currently facing, but also in terms of the obstacles I’m facing in my own life and career. The central message that Ryan Holiday espouses in this book is summarised by Marcus Aurelius nearly 2000 years ago: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”

This thing in front of you. This obstacle blocking you from moving forward. This issue that feels insurmountable. This unexpected problem that is preventing you from doing what you want to do. The thing you dread or secretly hope won’t happen. What if it isn’t so bad? What if it is the greatest gift from the universe and it’s exactly what you need to advance your most important goal or become the person you want to become? […]

Being like the Bamboo: Cultivating Resilience

Posted on June 20, 2020By ChantalPosted in Courage / Failure / In the muck / Meaning / Mindset / Resilience

Bamboo can grow with many other plants of its kind or on its own. It can find a home in different regions of the world. In addition, it forms dense forests. Bamboo is incredibly resistant and flexible. It can endure large earthquakes. In fact, it doesn’t matter if its stems are cut because bamboo regenerates, heals, and grows again, even stronger and more unstoppable than before. It spends seven years growing under the soil and extending its roots before it starts growing above the ground. So, initially, it looks like nothing is happening and then suddenly, this resourceful plant starts sprouting above ground and it just keeps going.

Being like bamboo means having a resilient attitude in life. It means you accept that sometimes adversity might make you bend over, but still choosing to regenerate, heal and grow, sprouting deep and strong roots from every setback. It means cultivating the ability to bounce back to your former self; happier and more beautiful than before, after every setback. Being like bamboo, means cultivating resilience in your life. […]

If you must fail, make sure you fail spectacularly

Posted on May 17, 2020By ChantalPosted in Failure / In the muck / Life

I think we can all agree that we live in unprecedented times. Almost daily, we are being challenged to show up differently and do things differently. Individuals and organisations are being challenged to find new ways of moving forward during this pandemic.

It might not look like it, but you do have a few choices here. You can “wait it out”, i.e. hide away or stay low and wait for all of this to pass and things to get back to normal. The problem you have with this choice is that you are putting your life on hold indefinitely, since there is no precise timeline for when exactly we will resume our “normal” lives – if ever. There are also no guarantees that we will ever go back to the way things were before this pandemic started. And then of course you are also choosing to press the pause button on your life and remain in limbo, which can become frustrating and leave you feeling trapped, isolated, alone, even desperate. Not my favourite option, I must admit. […]