Things to Think About 076

“To those of you who got straight A’s, congratulations. But know this, that’s the last time that will happen, because life isn’t like that.” Robert De Niro, 2015 Commencement Address, NYU/Tisch School of Performing Arts

If you haven’t seen Robert De Niro’s commencement speech on YouTube, and you like his sense of timing and comedic directness, you should take a look at it. There are several pearls of wisdom in his address, but this quote addresses one of the most misunderstood events in a person’s life and career: failure—and how to deal with it. Maybe I’m more sensitive to this topic because of my own life experience, maybe it’s because of the blank looks I get from an audience when I bring up the topic, or maybe it’s because I hear repeatedly from seasoned executives that they wish the topic of failure was discussed more, especially in business schools.

Failure and setbacks come in all different shapes and sizes in life, and they may be self-generated or seemingly thrust upon us. The point is, they will come. And, it is having an understanding of that, that can help one deal with them when they do come. Just knowing that you’re not alone—at a time when you are most likely to feel very alone—can help us to exhale a bit, settle-down, gather our thoughts along with the lessons learned, and decide, with confidence, how we can apply these lessons and move forward.

Maybe you know someone who might benefit from this valuable insight into life’s journey.

Till next time…