Transcending from Monumental Failure to Great Successes – Step 5

Two beaten boxers with one winning and sfz title

“Ultimately, growth depends on integrating honesty, openness, and willingness into daily life. These virtues transform defeat into victory. They turn relapse risk into recovery momentum. Lessons throughout time remind us that progress is often paved with mistakes along the way.” – from today’s Zonr post SFZ Analysis

~~~

Sign up to get Zonr for Today’s Full SFZ

Which spiritual principles and how have you used them to turn a failure, setback or slip into success?

OR

What can we learn from our mistakes that helps us grow into stronger people?

~~~

FIGHT TO WIN – feat. Destorm (3:51)

Best Motivational to Fight Failures Video w/ Nick (2:41) 

Achieving Financial Success Buddhist Meditation (30:26)

Analysis

In The Basic Text, the authors identify Honesty, Open-mindedness, and Willingness as relapse prevention keys. These three virtues shape personal recovery paths. Without one, relapse becomes far more likely. This echoes Aristotle’s idea in Nicomachean Ethics that virtue exists as a balanced practice.

Furthermore, As Bill Sees It reframes failure as an essential part of growth. Bill Wilson suggests that setbacks can elevate, not destroy. This mirrors Viktor Frankl’s insight in Man’s Search for Meaning; that suffering can create deeper purpose. Failure is not a dead end but a transformative step.

Mickey Rooney’s quote, “You always pass failure on the way to success,” adds a universal perspective. His words parallel Thomas Edison’s views on invention in Diary and Sundry Observations. Edison valued each failed trial as progress toward achievement.

In recovery, failure’s role becomes a teacher. It reveals weaknesses and points toward necessary changes. The “HOW” principles guide those changes with moral clarity. By combining these principles with a healthy view of failure, one builds resilience.

Ultimately, growth depends on integrating honesty, openness, and willingness into daily life. These virtues transform defeat into victory. They turn relapse risk into recovery momentum. Lessons throughout time remind us that progress is often paved with mistakes along the way.



Spanish Translation

1. Tres estrofas de citas

Trascender del Fracaso Monumental a Grandes Éxitos – Paso 5

EL H.O.W. – NUESTRAS CLAVES PARA LA PREVENCIÓN DE RECAÍDAS –

Tres principios espirituales básicos son Honestidad, Mente Abierta y Voluntad.
Estos son el “cómo” de nuestro programa. La falta de uno de estos principios en nuestro programa personal puede conducir a la recaída…
(The Basic Text, p. 96)

EL CAMINO DEL FRACASO AL ÉXITO –

Nuestro crecimiento espiritual y emocional no depende tanto del éxito como de nuestros fracasos y contratiempos. Si tienes esto en cuenta, creo que tu caída te impulsará hacia arriba, en lugar de hacia abajo.
(As Bill Sees It, p. 184)

Siempre pasas por el fracaso en el camino al éxito.
— Mickey Rooney (1920 – 2014), actor estadounidense


2. Análisis

En The Basic Text, los autores identifican la Honestidad, la Mente Abierta y la Voluntad como claves para prevenir recaídas. Estas virtudes moldean el camino personal de recuperación. Sin una de ellas, la recaída es mucho más probable. Esto refleja la idea de Aristóteles en Ética a Nicómaco de que la virtud existe como práctica equilibrada.

Asimismo, As Bill Sees It replantea el fracaso como parte esencial del crecimiento. Bill Wilson sugiere que los contratiempos pueden elevarnos, no destruirnos. Esto refleja la visión de Viktor Frankl en El hombre en busca de sentido: el sufrimiento puede generar un propósito más profundo. El fracaso no es un callejón sin salida, sino un paso transformador.

La cita de Mickey Rooney, “Siempre pasas por el fracaso en el camino al éxito”, añade una perspectiva universal. Sus palabras se asemejan a las de Thomas Edison en Diary and Sundry Observations. Edison valoraba cada intento fallido como progreso hacia el logro.

En recuperación, el fracaso actúa como maestro. Revela debilidades y señala cambios necesarios. Los principios “HOW” guían esos cambios con claridad moral. Al combinar estos principios con una visión saludable del fracaso, se construye resiliencia.

Finalmente, el crecimiento depende de integrar la honestidad, la apertura y la voluntad en la vida diaria. Estas virtudes transforman la derrota en un peldaño hacia arriba. Convierten el riesgo de recaída en impulso de recuperación. Los grandes pensadores nos recuerdan que el progreso suele estar pavimentado por errores.


3. Pregunta

¿Qué podemos aprender de nuestros errores que nos ayude a crecer como personas más fuertes?

Zonr blog on failures

Comments

10 responses to “Transcending from Monumental Failure to Great Successes – Step 5”

  1. Zen Avatar
    Zen

    Something I have learned from my mistakes is they shine a light on my dark spots. I learned why I made a decision and what I can learn from it.

    The more I make mistakes, the more I realize they are not the end of the world. Each recovered mistake builds courage.

  2. Elexi W.S.A. Avatar

    I am really able to see more now where we’re at as societies from being done in by addiction, and workers out in our societies that don’t have the best in mind for us. I do have a stable income now though, and through my struggles I am learning what to be very wary of, and how to up my alternatives instead of relying on bad own medicating that can be harmful. I do honestly feel that I have improved my situations in life though, and do practice wise words as much as possible at this point, but want to completely practice them as well.

  3. E-Dawg Avatar
    E-Dawg

    Step 5 is a very humbling experience especially when you’re used to self-appraisal. Surviving a relapse is also a very humbling experience. Ending up in the hospital because I decided I could control something again. I can choose to learn from this or not. Some of us are less fortunate and do not survive the relapse like many of my friends… if you survive that relapse there’s always a chance to learn from it and come back 10 times stronger with God’s help.

  4. Sabrina J Avatar
    Sabrina J

    Fail fast. A motto I used with my team. And I would add, I expect you to be bold enough to try anything, even if it fails, as long as you learn and grow. I expect the same from myself.

    When I am unwilling to do something, anything, I can become stuck. Worse yet, If I do not attempt to do and fail, how can I grow and get better. Mistakes are just a collective of solutions that didn’t work and if I attempt enough variables, I will find the one that does work.

    Just think, everything that has ever been done, someone once said was impossible. It is only impossible until someone does it. I celebrate my mistakes as they are one attempt closer to success.

    Thank you for sharing recovery with me. Grateful.

  5. Paul DeCunzo Avatar
    Paul DeCunzo

    Surrendering to the fact I also have Bipolar 1 disorder makes my journey more challenging like facing a two-headed monster. Keeping daily action as and alcoholic with mental disorder keeps me trudging with hope and gratitude.

  6. Simon Yebio Avatar
    Simon Yebio

    Honest and open mindedness…no secrets even if I share to the “wrong” person I share

  7. Adam Avatar
    Adam

    I used the process of recognizing when my ego was trying to take over and drive the boat. I recognized that I really couldn’t afford this beautiful home even if the bank was telling me I could and I was already in negotiation. My ego was telling me, “Oh my god, you have to have it.” I had to look at the reality of my finances and humble myself and walk away.

  8. Margot E. Avatar
    Margot E.

    I love the idea of passing failure on the way to success. I am so afraid of failure that I fail to even attempt certain activities. I am learning to accept unanticipated outcomes not so much as failures as wonderful, rich learning experiences. Namaste.

  9. brita Avatar
    brita

    Great reminder because today I feel all I have done in life is fail – but each time I get back up in some small way – so I guess it’s good.

  10. Margot E. Avatar
    Margot E.

    I once read that a core belief of the addicted mind is that “mistakes call for judgment and punishment not correction and learning.” When I keep this in mind, I can try to remember to look for the lesson in every action I take and every curve on the road of my journey. I do not have to judge and punish myself before you get a chance to; I can look, listen and learn. I’m not a bad person when I make a mistake – I just have a heap of learning to do. Peace.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.