If we knew all the future obstacles and setbacks we might encounter in order to accomplish a goal, there’s a strong possibility we might never attempt it. However, when we persist in the learning process, we learn to achieve goals we never thought we could. Just ask Lt. Cmdr. Carl Stewart, Jr., who retired in 2022 as a fighter pilot after 26 years in the Navy. He focused on the process of learning by not being afraid to fail. His advice; “If you want something, go for it. Don’t be afraid to fail. Sometimes, you fail because you figure out where you’re at. Find out what you did wrong, dust yourself off and go back and try again.” In addition to his own advice, read the Growth Mindset advice someone gave him that became his mantra for the rest of his military career. It’s a mantra that has the potential to benefit all of us.
Click on the links below to learn about Lt. Cmdr. Stewart’s inspiring Growth Mindset example as he demonstrated what it takes to “live the life you’ve imagined.”