I can’t believe how much time and money I have wasted in my life trying to fast-track the process and re-invent the wheel. My ego was too inflated to follow someone else’s strategy, even if it was working, as I thought I could do it better, with no idea what I was doing. I was failing in a spectacular way in many areas of life, and then I got asked the question by someone trying to help me succeed, ‘why not fail our way first?’

When, after two years of starting a café, you are in close to $100,000 debt, it’s a sign that you should have taken advice from someone who has run or is running a successful hospitality business and then taken the time to do it right. Not me. I thought I knew everything, and I knew I could make it work, yet it failed spectacularly! I have had to experience three failed marriages, and hurting people I care about, thinking I knew how to be a good husband. I didn’t think I needed to take advice from people who really knew nor take the time to build strong relationships, and so I suffered and caused suffering for others. There are many other examples I could give you, of my ego looking for an easier option and leading me to a spectacular mess, but I don’t want to lose all of my credibility. LOL!!

I did finally learn, which is good news. What I learned was that, no matter what I wanted in my life, there was a predictable path to success which had already been forged by someone else. All I had to do was be willing to listen, learn and follow that path. Incredibly, but not surprisingly, when I did start following that path, success also started to predictably happen in my life. So, what I am saying here is this, if you are sick of random results, frequent frustration and spectacular failure, then simply… fail our way first!

What that means is, try following a predictable process first. Then, at least if you fail, you know why. Do you want me to tell you? You may not like the answer! If you follow a predictable plan and don’t create the success you want, you stopped short of that destination. In other words, you quit! Yikes, I told you, you may not like the answer. I certainly didn’t when it was suggested to me. It was almost tempting to go back to my crazy plan, because then I could blame something else, saying that I tried but the process didn’t work. But then I realised, I actually wanted success, so neither excuses nor quitting was ever going to get me there.

You see, most of us don’t like the predictable path, because it takes too long, and it causes us to have to face fears and insecurities that we really don’t want to face.  Hence, we look for a quick-fix or a shortcut. I love the saying by John Maxwell; the longest distance between two points is a shortcut. In my podcast this week with Ossie Khan, called ‘Hitting the drop-zone,’ Ossie discusses the secret to successfully hit the drop-zone as a skydiver, but also in life. He explains the need to slow down, prepare properly and follow the process to a tee, and when you do, hitting the drop-zone successfully is predictable.

As you are moving towards hitting your own drop-zone in life, in other words, creating success, how is it going? Are you getting wonderful success and moving boldly in the direction you want to go, or are you getting frustrated, discouraged and wasting time and money spinning your wheels? If it’s the latter, maybe, just maybe, you are trying to find a shortcut to success, and not following a predictable plan, because it seems to take too long and be too hard. I can tell you with confidence that a quick-fix diet will never give you optimal wellbeing that lasts. Be assured that gambling to make money will not give you the financial independence and security you want. Make no mistake about it, buying flowers, every once in a while, will not fix a broken relationship. Are you getting my drift here?

If you would like to save time, money, heartache and create permanent positive change, and I am guessing you do, then follow the predictable path first. Even if it takes longer and is initially more challenging. It will definitely save you from the shiny-object quick-fix temptation that will zap your time, energy, money and self-belief.  If you do, and fail, then you will know why. It means that the end result wasn’t important enough and your desire wasn’t strong enough. When you have a strong desire and you are willing to slow down and follow a predictable plan for success, no matter how long it takes, you will get there. 100% guaranteed! Please, fail our way first.