I struggled this week with coming up with an idea for the rally post. My mind was preoccupied with my next exam in my CFP course. If you read the article Setbacks in Education you can recall that I did not pass that exam. Since that day I have been studying fiercely for my make up exam which is next Wednesday. The material is slowly making its way into my brain, but it has not been easy. The content of the book and the many hours of studying has taken a toll on my mental capital. I have felt recently that I can’t think of anything else and this may be the reason that the rally post didn’t get posted.

So, here we are. The rally post is late. I can make excuses for why it didn’t get posted on Friday. There is an easy excuse right in the previous paragraph. But the fact is we told you the rally posts would be up on Friday at 3:00. I came up short. Excuses aren’t worth much. I didn’t perform.

What’s the lesson?

I believe that every situation can teach. I believe that negative or adverse situations are even better teachers than successes or positive situations. If we can overcome our egos and admit we failed because of our own actions and not an outside force, then we have a clean slate to learn and grow. I didn’t get the post up. It was no ones fault but my own. It wasn’t the studying, because I new I had to study and post the article.  I could have worked on an article a little bit everyday for a week and it would have been done. I didn’t. It wasn’t that I didn’t have time. I could have taken an short lunch or stayed up late at night to get it done. I didn’t. However, I now have an opportunity to be better and to learn. Because I can admit to myself and you that I didn’t execute when I could have and should have. I can be just a little bit better next time, and the next time, and the next. Becoming a little better of a person over time is the ultimate goal. Even if it is only 1% at a time.

So, this is the rally post for the week. It is late. It is short. It isn’t very insightful. It is also a teacher. It is a measuring stick for next time. It is keeping me accountable and motivating me to be better. If I can be a little better everyday maybe i’ll turn out ok in the end.

Chris