“You have failed.” One of the most devastating statements we can receive. Only, there is one that is even more painful: “You are a failure.” Which doesn’t just question the performance, but the whole existence of a human being.
How come that fear of failing and pressure to succeed seem to run our lives? Is this a helpful approach? What does this approach cost us in our relationships, our learning capacity, our overall society?
There are two distinct states of mind we can operate from. In each of these states different regions of the brain are being active or blocked:
We can be open to explore, to trust ourselves, to collaborate with each other; which goes along with an activation of our prefrontal cortex, our mammalian brain: this can be called “Creative Mind”
Or we can be afraid to try out something unfamiliar for fear of failing, we guard ourselves, our capacity to relate and to learn is blocked; in this case our Reptilian brain is active: this can be called “Protective Mind”
Meriam Webster defines failure as:
1. omission of occurrence or performance
2. lack of success
3. a falling short
4. one that has failed
Are we at the mercy of this definition? Or can WE ourselves redefine what failing and succeeding mean to us! Both individually and as small groups, who can be the seed of a new culture. Because what seems as a mistake from one perspective, might actually the long missing creative invention that opens up the door to a completely new world.
Redefining failure, moving from Protective to Creative Mind, and creating learning environments that bring out the inherent creative and co-creative capacities in our children and ourselves; that’s what this week’s podcast is about on https://bbsradio.com/alllearningreimagined
"Join Teresa and guest Marai Kiele from Germany as we explore together: what allows to build a world where we play and co-create together freely, from our creative minds and hearts."
Marai is passionate about liberating the human spirit, one co-creative moment at a time.
She can be reached at
Marai Kiele * joyfully thriving together * phone: +49 171 810 7161 marai@5tofold.com
PS: During the show we reference a video by Sara Blakely: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZEPbyIA8X I
