Failure Factor

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

I love this verse. Not only does it encourage me to be strong and courageous but it also illuminates two of the biggest factors of falling short in these areas: fear and failure. The last blog explored the idea of fear; this post will touch on the concept of discouragement and failure.

Let me illustrate by sharing an example from baseball that I think portrays this barrier. Close your eyes and travel with me almost 100 years ago. First, to the year 1915 and one of the greatest baseball players to ever lace up some spikes, Ty Cobb. He was born in Narrows, Georgia in December 1886 and was called the Georgia Peach for much of his career. He played 22 seasons with the Detroit Tigers and was inducted in the inaugural group of Hall of Famers in 1936. He was credited with setting 90 Major League Baseball records including the highest career batting average (.366), season batting titles (11), most career hits (4,189 – not broken until 1985), most career stolen bases (892 – broken in 1977) and the record for the most stolen bases in a single season (96 – first broken in 1962 by Maury Wills with 104). It is this last record that intrigues me. Ninety-six stolen bases in one season is quite a feat.

Keeping that in mind, zoom ahead a few years to 1922. Max Carey was playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Carey was born in Terre Haute, Indiana in January 1890. His 20-year career as an outfielder, his membership with the 1925 World Series Champion Pirates, and his reputation as a speedster who regularly stole 40 bases a season earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame in 1961.

In those early days of baseball Ty Cobb set the record of 96 stolen bases in a season. Max Carey was second with 51. Ty Cobb looks twice as good as Max. But let's look a little deeper. Cobb attempted to steal 134 times and was successful on 96 attempts for an incredible average of 71%. Carey, on the other hand, made 53 attempts to steal a base and slid to safely 51 times for a head-shaking 96% average. Cobb failed 58 times to Carey's 2. Cobb attempted to steal 81 more times than Carey. But the key to Cobb's legacy is that those 81 additional attempts produced 44 more stolen bases. Cobb risked failure 81 more times than his closest rival and history has declared him as one of the greatest base runners of all times.

Do not be discouraged – learn to conquer the failure factor. Don't stop trying if you experience difficulties. Perseverance, diligence, and persistence enabled Cobb to overcome the failure factor.

One more quick baseball example of rising above the failure factor. The same era of history brought onto the stage the greatest hitter of the early 1900s (and maybe of all times) the Sultan of Swat, the Great Bambino – Babe Ruth. He ended his career with a staggering 714 home runs – a record that stood until 1974. In 1920, Ruth's first year with the New York Yankees, he hit 54 home runs, the next year he smacked 59 homers and in 1927 he outdid himself propelling the ball over the fence 60 times in one season.

However, Babe Ruth also held another record for decades – the record for strikeouts. He hit 714 home runs but he struck out 1,330 times. It never seemed to bother him when he was in a batting slump – he kept swinging the bat. His philosophy was summed up in the following statement attributed to him, “I realize that the law of averages will catch up if I just keep swinging. In fact, when I'm in a slump, I feel sorry for the pitcher because I know that sooner or later he's going to pay for it.” Never give up, do not be discouraged.

Failing is a part of leadership. Learning from failing is the cure to failure. Failure is giving up – not getting up. When we blow it, if we get up, dust off the dirt of the unsuccessful slide, learn from the mistake, and change our perspective, failing can result in improved strategy, greater wisdom in decision making, and renewed courage to try again. I imagine that these great baseball players of the past gained their confidence from within, a self confidence that relied upon their own skills. Joshua's secret is the complete opposite – “do not be discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

If you find yourself discouraged today, pick up the bat and come to the plate. God has called his leaders to be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified (the fear factor); do not be discouraged (the failure factor) because God is with those whom He has called.