Page 17 - October 2019
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few times. What defines you, though, is not I can’t guarantee that this Toastmasters
that you make mistakes, but how you recover Work Ethic will make you successful with
from your mistakes. Do you stay down in the every employer. Some simply won’t value the
dirt and wallow in self-pity? Or do you get up, Toastmasters Work Ethic and what this brings
brush yourself off, and try again? No person can to their workplace. But I have found that this
achieve true success in life without cultivating the work ethic is the only way I can truly experience
latter attitude. You made a mistake? Good! What growth in any area of my life. I have used it to
can you learn from it? Examine what you did grow in my Toastmasters journey. I have used
that failed. Evaluate the mistakes you made. Do it to grow as a music director and musician. I
again what you did that failed, but this time don’t have used it to grow in my career as a software
repeat the mistake you made before. Thomas engineer. By following the three steps I define
Edison is said to have failed a thousand times above, take charge of your growth, seek
before finally producing a light bulb that worked. challenges, and learn from your mistakes, you
When asked about this, he said, “I didn’t fail a can also grow as a person, Toastmaster, and
thousand times. The light bulb was an invention professional.
with a thousand steps.”
“Every great cause is born from repeated failures and from imperfect achievements.”
~ Maria Montessori
VOICES! | OCTOBER 2019 17
