I like this quote by Michael Jordan a lot, "I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

It's empowering to say the least.

Here is my version, far less empowering than the Jordan quote, but meaningful to me nevertheless.

"I've missed out on 9,000 hugs in my life. I've been shut down by almost 300 girls. 26 times, I should have said I love you, because it was right and I meant it, but didn't. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

Heres another topic I want to talk about quickly. Its known as entropy. Webster's defines entropy as, "a process of degradation or running down or a trend to disorder." This is the 2nd definition. Ultimately, it's just a theory that things tend to get more complicated.

I feel like as time stretches on, things tend to get further complicated and complex. I'm not sure why this occurs, but it just does. It's annoying and I don't particularly like entropy. When things are new they are easy and there isn't a lot of trouble. The further along you get with anything it seems, the more and more it just doesn't seem to make sense. Too much chaos is never a good thing, and there seems to be so much of it these days.

I made an earlier post entitled, "The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry," and as a result of this I have come to dislike plans very much. Therefore, I am gearing myself more towards goals. Goals are good because it gives you somewhere to end up. The end is important, but the journey is also far more important. Goals allow you to take an infinite amount of roads to given end, whereas a plan limits you. I am going to write out a list of goals tomorrow. They will deal with a variety of aspects of my life. I think this will give me structure, and something to strive for. I will write them in pencil as all goals need to be reworked at times, but it is a necessary thing.

This post was originally written by Tyrone Schiff
University of Michigan · Organizational Studies · 22 Jan 2007