Have You Ever Tried Something and Failed?

February 3, 2024

Have You Tried Something and Failed?

Have you tried something significant in life and just flat out failed at it? Maybe you gave it your all and it just didn’t work out? And how did that time in your life impact you?

If you are like me, you’ve probably tried several things and failed. Some are more significant and painful than others, yet somehow you made it through.

It was 1997, I had finished my music business degree from the University of North Alabama, and I moved to Nashville. All my life, I wanted to be a performer, singer, and live in Nashville. But as I went through college, I quickly learned, I wasn’t the best singer and really didn’t have the looks and sex appeal that is needed to make it in the business. I was a country boy from Red Bay, with a big dream and I really thought, hell, if Dolly could dream, I could too. But knowing that, I turned more toward the business side of the music industry. Makes sense, right?

I moved to Nashville, with a big dream to work in the music industry (which was called the “music business” back then). I landed an (unpaid) internship at the largest Christian music publisher, Benson Music. While at Benson, not getting paid, I worked in radio marketing and quickly learned how to make a song #1 on the radio charts. I was excited to be doing what I thought I had always wanted to do. 

But to live in Nashville, you had to make some money, so I worked a part time job at Sears selling shoes. I'm not sure why I thought I could live on my own, without a roommate, but I was independent and wanted to make it on my own. Of course, looking back, I could have used one or two roommates. That was tough time in my life, as I worked every moment I wasn’t interning at Benson. All the while still wanting to live out this dream somehow.

While at Benson I got to meet and work with many of the Christian artists I had grown up listening to. And after being in Nashville for a very short minute, I quickly learned I liked the country music industry much more than the Christian side. I quickly realized I fit in better with that bunch, maybe because those people were just real (and nicer).

But my time in Nashville was very short lived, as I realized I had to get a full-time job and no one was hiring a fresh out of college music biz grad, since many of the record companies had just recently been bought out and many in the industry were being laid off. Since I worked most of my free time, and didn’t have a lot of money at all, I couldn’t go out to shows, etc., to meet people, etc. Here I am, finally living what I dreamed about for many, many years, but making ends meet was very difficult.

After my internship ended, I had to decide to either stay in Nashville or return near home and pursue a different path. I chose to return to North Alabama and gave up on the dream of working in the music industry. I recall that day, leaving Nashville, seeing the skyline in the rear-view mirror of that U-Haul, and thinking to myself, I’ll never return. Yes, I think I probably shed a few tears down I-65 as I drove south.

Fast forward 26 years, and the really cool thing about life and God’s plan for your life is…

“Failure is NEVER final. Where you were, is not where you are today, or where you are going.”-Jason Thrasher

Gosh, I’ve had some other unsuccessful attempts in some other areas too, like my short-lived, illustrious, adult soft-ball career on a local league. (Ha!) After joining the team, I quickly realized I would have been a much better as the team mascot. I could have entertained the crowd (in the outfield). Yes, I had spirit, but in comparison to all of those younger guys, who were really serious about this game (of which I just wanted to have fun at), I wasn’t that good.  And I sure as hell was not about to go sliding into anything, whether chasing a ball, a base run, etc. (Big Smile!) If I slid down, someone had better call 911.

Why Did I Share This Story?

Maybe you are like me and at some point, in your life, profession, career, relationship, etc. you had a moment that was a failure. For whatever reason it just didn’t happen, didn’t work out, wasn’t the right fit, the timing was off, or whatever the reason was. But you felt like you failed, and maybe you even still feel like if that had gone a different way, you would be in a different place in life, maybe a better place, in a different job, a different relationship, etc.

May I encourage you today? Failure is Never Final!

I think back to 1997 and think had I remained in Nashville and figured out a way to work in the music business, etc., would I have had a very different life? This answer is, yes. These past 26 years would have been very different, probably working in a different line of work, etc.

Oh, but then I think, had I remained in Nashville (which wasn't God's plan to start with), I would have probably never stepped into Human Resources, Operations, Administration, etc. I would have never met the incredible people, along this journey called life, who have shaped me as an individual, shaped my professional career or shaped my life. I would have never gotten to work with some of the most incredible individuals, both today and in the past.

I probably wouldn’t be writing this post right now, started BestLife50, or focusing my next chapter in life to empowering others to live their Best Life. I wouldn’t have connected with YOU!

Let me encourage you today. You are EXACTLY where you are supposed to be for this moment, embrace it, lean into it and watch what happens. Nope, I’m still not where I’d like to be in many areas of my life, but I’m a different person, 26 years later, than I was as a young man living in Nashville in 1997. I have come to realize, this was His plan A, all along. God doesn't have plan B.

“If Dolly Parton can dream big, then so can WE.”-Jason Thrasher

So, remember, motivate someone in a positive way today, go play some soft ball, and BELIEVE IN YOURSELF and DREAM ON!

This is BestLife50.