What Failure Looks Like

In his blog today, Sam writes about "The Odds of Failure" and his decision to amend his goal of completing 12 half-marathons this year. I've thought a lot about this, because sometimes I think about failure too much. For instance:

Did Sam fail because he didn't complete twelve half-marathons this year? Or is it remarkable that he will complete ten or eleven? I think remarkable.

Am I a failure because I can barely complete 15 out of the 30 sit-up torture maneuvers during boot camp? Or is it miraculous that I can do 15? I think miraculous.

Am I a failure because out of the 12 marathons I've done over the years, my best time is 6 hours and 30 minutes? Or can I call myself an athlete because I've completed 12 marathons? I think athlete.

Am I a diet failure because I ate a couple of handfuls of Peanut Butter M&M's? Or do I pat myself on the back for stopping and eating a healthy lunch? I think I'll pat myself on the back.

Am I a failure in life because I don't measure up to all the expectations that I believe exist because of other people's comments? Or am I a success because I can change and create goals that are important and healthy for me? I think I'll choose success.

I guess in the end, failure, like success, is a relative term. It just depends on how you choose to see the outcome. Maybe what I perceive as a failure is really a success - I just have to look at it differently. In fact, maybe that's really what failure looks like - success in a Halloween costume!
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Things that make today great: Jacqueline at boot camp; really jumping rope at boot camp; beautiful fall leaves; Southwest roulette