In life, the same set of events can happen to two different people, and their interpretations of those events can be completely different. This difference in perception can turn what could be seen as a failure into a triumph—or vice versa. It all comes down to how we choose to see the situation. This story, drawn from a recent real-life experience, illustrates the power of perspective and how choosing a more positive interpretation can inspire and energize us.
The Story of Amy’s “Epic Fail”
A few weeks ago, I met up with some girlfriends for dinner to catch up on life. Among them was “Amy,” who shared an experience that she described as an “Epic Fail.” Curious, we all leaned in to hear what had happened.
Amy had been working on a product that seemed to be negatively impacting a major client from another department. After days of intense research, she discovered the issue: the product was functioning as designed, but the client had requested a manual workaround that caused the problem. Amy figured out the workaround and implemented a fix. The moment of truth came the next morning at 4 a.m., when she needed to verify that the fix worked. Amy was the only one with access to the system to check, and her big boss, along with other department leaders, were waiting for her report.
As she recounted the story, I expected to hear that she had slept through her alarm and missed the 4 a.m. check—something that would easily explain why she considered the day an “Epic Fail.” But that wasn’t the case. Amy woke up 10 minutes before 4 a.m., only to find that she couldn’t access her company’s network. She tried for 30 agonizing minutes, with calls pouring in from colleagues inquiring about the status. Finally, at 4:25 a.m., she managed to get in, verified that the fix worked, and notified everyone. The client was then able to proceed as needed.
Questioning the “Epic Fail”
The rest of us were perplexed. Why did Amy consider this an “Epic Fail”? She explained that she couldn’t access the system for 30 minutes, which led her to believe that she had failed her boss. When I asked if she had any control over the network issue, she admitted that she didn’t. I followed up by asking if there had been any signs in the days leading up to the incident that she might encounter this problem. Again, she said no. Despite this, she remained convinced that she had failed because she wasn’t able to complete the check at exactly 4 a.m. as she had promised.
I was puzzled by her response. I asked if her boss was aware of the network issue. She confirmed that he knew, yet she still felt certain that she had let him down. She even suggested that perhaps she should have woken up 30 minutes earlier to ensure everything went smoothly.
The Silver Lining
What Amy shared next surprised me even more. Later that morning, something was nagging at her, so she checked on the client’s status again and discovered that the workaround was no longer in place. Confused, she dug into the details and found that her product had detected the workaround as a potential fraud attempt and automatically disabled it to protect the company and its customers. Amy proactively explained this to her boss, who then successfully communicated to the other department and the client why this type of workaround wasn’t in their best interest for the future.
At this point, I couldn’t understand why Amy still felt she had failed. I pointed out that if I were her boss, I would be proud of her for going the extra mile. She had done the check early in the morning, despite the delay that was out of her control, and then took it upon herself to recheck and uncover a critical issue. This not only protected the company but also allowed her boss to shine in front of the client. Yet, Amy remained unconvinced, insisting that the day was an “Epic Fail.”
The Power of Perspective
This story underscores the importance of how we perceive ourselves and our actions. Amy’s harsh self-assessment, despite having done everything within her power and more, drained her energy and overshadowed her accomplishments. It’s essential to examine how we view our experiences and to recognize when we’re being unfairly critical of ourselves.
After discussing her day with us for an hour, Amy began to question her interpretation. While it’s healthy to look for areas of improvement, it’s also crucial not to fixate on things beyond our control and label them as failures. Such negativity not only saps our energy but also diminishes our ability to tackle future challenges with confidence.
In the end, the same day that Amy labeled as an “Epic Fail” could just as easily be seen as an “Epic Day”—a day where she rose to the occasion, went above and beyond, and ultimately succeeded. It’s all a matter of perspective. So why not choose the interpretation that inspires you and helps you feel energized? After all, the story you tell yourself about your day is the one that shapes your reality.
Your comments: Are you self aware when you are being unnecessarily harsh to yourself? Don’t believe everything that you say to yourself. I look forward to your questions and comments.
Best wishes. I am always in your corner.
Lei