August 12, 2023
Sometimes the Thought of the Day and Question of the Day are like two strangers at a bus stop who somehow end up in a deep conversation. Today’s pair fit together like that, one about success, the other about the dangers of being alive long enough to maybe achieve it. We’ll talk about how one right move can erase a dozen wrong ones, and then we’ll revisit all the ways childhood in the 80s and 90s was basically a Darwin Awards audition.
Thought of the Day: Don’t worry about failure, you only have to be right once. — Drew Houston
Failure is loud. It announces itself with slamming doors, awkward silences, and the occasional “we regret to inform you” email. Success, on the other hand, can be quiet, but it has this beautiful way of rewriting the entire narrative.
You can get something wrong 99 times, and if that 100th try works, suddenly you’re “persistent” instead of “unlucky.” That’s the magic of the “you only have to be right once” philosophy. Your highlight reel doesn’t include the bloopers unless you put them in there yourself.
I’ve had plenty of misses. Projects that went nowhere. Ideas that should have stayed scribbles in a notebook. But the thing about being wrong most of the time is that it only takes one correct call, one yes, one green light, one “this is the thing” moment, to make all the rest worth it. That’s how people end up in movies, or on bestseller lists, or just able to finally replace the toaster that’s been burning one side of the bread for six years.
If you need proof, check out this post about being a monkey with a plan or the one where I explored the opposite of a good idea also being a good idea. Sometimes, the story is just about surviving long enough for your “once” to arrive.
Question of the Day: Have you ever broken a bone? How?
Considering all the crazy stuff we did in the 80s and 90s, ramp-jumping bikes, unsupervised tree climbs, and, of course, merry-go-round of death on the playground, no, I have never broken a bone. Which, frankly, feels like a clerical error in my medical history.
That’s not to say I’ve walked away injury-free from life. I did completely rupture my Achilles tendon once, which, if you’ve never done it, I don’t recommend it.
It was pretty common in my childhood to be told “walk it off” when we got injured, and that’s just what I did. I stayed at work for 3 or 4 hours after the injury.
When I did finally go the Urgent Care, the doctor had me run my fingers up the back of my ankle and said, “Do you feel that hole? You’re supposed to have a tendon there”
And yet, bones? Still all original equipment. I have friends who’ve broken the same wrist twice and others who have more metal in them than a toolbox. I’m not sure if I’m lucky, careful, or just overdue.
What about you? Have you ever broken a bone? Was it epic or embarrassingly mundane? Falling off a roof is one thing; tripping over a laundry basket is another. (I’ll try not to judge either way.)
If injury stories are your thing, you might enjoy this post about suffering with joy or the one where I talk about one mistake not being a bad decision.
Your turn: Drop your broken bone (or miraculous no-broken-bones) story in the comments. And if you like reflecting on life’s big ideas and small absurdities, join the free daily email where I share a new Thought of the Day and Question of the Day every morning.