•FAILURE• We tend to beat ourselves up over not accomplishing a certain goal. Whether it’s going through advanced military training, getting your paramedic certification, or selling that first home, the path to success isn’t linear. Life is full of surprises and setbacks, and at the time you think the journey is over and there’s no way back on your feet. I’m here to tell you it’s all part of the plan. I went to Scout Sniper School and failed miserably and went into an extremely dark place. For months I didn’t take accountability and was looking for excuses on why I didn’t accomplish the task at hand. With a lot of reflection and long discussions with people who’ve been through similar scenarios, I realized it’s OK to fail. We are only human and without adversity we couldn’t handle simple everyday stressors. Fast forward 3 years, I was slotted to go to USGC Rescue Swimmer School and I was the most prepared I’ve ever been. The first week of school I reactivated an old injury to my knee which eventually led to me being a medically dropped from the program. Again went through the denial and self loathing phase. This time I turned to alcohol and over eating. It was extremely detrimental to my mental and physical health and affected my positive way of thinking. Thankfully my amazing wife was there through the ups and the downs and everything in between. She made me realize there is so much more to life than being “successful”. We tend to always compare ourselves to others or let our certifications and assets define who we really are. I’ve learned over the years it doesn’t matter what you have or don’t have, what you did or didn’t do, or how much money you make. It’s all about the experiences we’ve had and no one can put a price on that. So when you’re feeling defeated and depressed, just be thankful for what you’ve accomplished and for the one’s who support you and love you. At the end of the day that’s all that truly matters. It always gets better and we are all badass mothereffers. STAY THE COURSE, AND STAY STOKED.