I’m Going to Let You Fail…
Because I love you
Header Image Courtesy of Kofi Dua
It’s only the middle. Failure I mean. It’s the middle of the process.
You’re familiar with the spiel about failure. How it’s nothing to fear. How it’s a necessary tool to be learned from, not run from. It’s a difficult mental shift initially but can be empowering once you’ve gained some footing in your practice.
But what about the failures of those you’re responsible for?
Can you handle not catching your child before they fall? Not chiming in when your teammate gets stuck in the presentation and letting them find the words themselves? Or letting your parents figure out that google exists instead of just jumping in and fixing their computer?
Not only does protecting others from failing block their blessings, but it also snatches your freedom and peace of mind. It forces you to carry the weight of imminent failure (actually a learning lesson) like it was your own. You aren’t made to carry the weight of others. Your own load is tailor-made for you. The struggles of others don’t fit well on your back.
I’m learning this lesson with my teenager and his school work. It’s time for him to learn the value of a strong work ethic and the waste of a weak one. He’s so used to my wife and I advocating for him that he expects to be able to slide by without having to give his best effort. He’s been given all the tools and resources to succeed, he needs to learn how important it is to use them. If that means he fails a class, then so be it.
What about you? Are there others in your life that you’re not allowing to fail? How do you cut the strings and let them learn and grow through their failures?
Inspiration
- Celebrating black fatherhood, Lafe Taylor illustrates a series of diverse family images.
- Christian English creates a Fresh Prince inspired type treatment for West Philly.
- And so much more, go CHECK THEM OUT
Education
- The Drum’s 10 Questions are put to the founder of Brown and Browner Advertising, Derek Walker.
- Adebayo Oke-Lawal, the founder of Orange Culture, a clothing line movement that covers universal silhouettes with an African aesthetic.
- And Much More
Invocation
- I think Lianne La Havas is at her best when it’s just her and a guitar and she proves it on this rendition of “Tokyo”.
- Benny Sings never ceases to deliver jams that sound like 80’s sunshine.
Congregation
- If you’re not part of the Black Designers United or the African American Graphic Designers groups on Facebook, you need to stop playing and come through.
- You can also find more creatives of color on 28 Days of the Web and Revision Path
- Plus over here at Creatives of Color and Adjust Your Margins and BlkCreatives.
- Get your hands on some melanated photos over at Tonl and Nappy and Women of Color in Tech and Jopwell and Blend Images and Create Her Stock.
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