Say NO to the Fear of Failure
Andy Perkins is founder and Executive Director of BESTWA. He lives with his wife Teresa in Grand Prarie, Texas. Andy began ministering in Liberia in 1998 and the work he has done in that country is nothing short of amazing!
On a personal note, I have never met a more passionate and authentic person. Andy is a great friend. I love and respect him and all he represents. Live It Forward actively supports BESTWA because we believe in Andy, trust Andy, and are honored to do our small part to help him impact Liberia and the world.
photo credit: Andy Perkins
SHOW UP AND SHINE Questions:
If you boiled life down to one philosophy that brings meaning and adds value to your life no matter what circumstances you face, what is that philosophy for you?
You must find and give your life to something you are so passionate about; something that burns inside you. When you find the one thing that burns inside you, pursue it with all your heart and everything else will take care of itself. Life is way too short to live halfheartedly. If you don’t believe in what you are doing, no one else will.
What are one or two keys to success for you?
You must accomplish something positive every day no matter your circumstances. When I was in chemo for cancer and couldn't even get out of bed or feed myself, I still moved my dream of helping Liberians forward every single day. My ability to focus was limited to less than 5 minutes at a time, but even with a 5-minute workday limitation I learned the principle of getting one important thing accomplished each day. The result? Our organization grew that year and accomplished many of the goals we set before I was diagnosed with cancer.
One more thing. As you pursue your dreams and times get tough, which they will, never make major decisions or quit during an emotionally difficult passage. Stick to your plan like glue.
What is one of the biggest mistakes you've made and what did you learn from it?
The biggest mistake I've made is giving in to the fear of failure. You must courageously face your deepest fear and deal with it. I was unwilling to put serious dreams and goals out there, and when you set easily-attainable goals, you end up accomplishing easily-attainable results. There is no growth or victory in that! I still must face the fear of failure daily, but I’ve forced myself to publish the outrageous dreams and goals I really want. For instance, in December 2013 I sent a very scary document (for me) called “Unfunded Goals for 2014” to my mailing list. I laid out very specific and difficult goals along with their exact costs. These goals were to double what my organization had done in 2013! I knew it was highly unlikely we would reach these goals in 12 months, but I decided to feel the fear and do it anyway. Right now I am thinking and praying through a new set of goals for 2014 because we have nearly reached all the outrageous goals published just four months ago!
What is your best advice for people who want to SHOW UP AND SHINE? In other words, what would you say to help people live into their bigger story?
Making an extraordinary life takes effort, but it is totally worth it in the end (usually sooner!).
Question: Andy has learned to say NO to the fear of failure. How will his example help you in pursuing your outrageous goals?