success vs. failure.

"success does not breed success. it breeds failure. it is failure which breeds success."

i have a habit (which some may say is horrible and some may think is very positive). but a habit nonetheless. of marking all over every book i read (whether i'm reading for enjoyment or for a requirement). and this past weekend as i entered my third hour (and second cup of coffee) at my favorite local starbucks, i came across the above quote and paused to consider what was being said. (insert knowledge i had just gained from my reading of "educating by design" that the "quantity of readings and assignments tends to invoke a 'just get it done' attitude among students"). still, i paused. and entertained the concepts of success and failure in my life as a leader...

although i do agree with the majority of the above statement, one piece of it simply cannot reconcile itself within me... the idea that success breeds failure. a leader who may consistently be on the path towards greatness (and therefore constantly succeeding) may not reach "new" successes in their life, and may also eventually topple. it may even be argued that this person could be termed as an effective manager vs. a true leader... but they are still succeeding at what they have set forth to do. maintaining that this person is not a failure.

maybe it is neccessary that i look further into the actual terming of the phrase... and the definition of "breed" in order to gain a greater understanding.

"breed" (from dictionary.com) - "to cause or be the source of; engender; give rise to; to develop by training or education." (obviously i have pulled out the references to mating and found the definitions that will further my cause).

so now what? is it possible that success instead of "breeding" success... instead "breeds" failure? maybe i can see it that way. it is quite possible my mind jumped too quickly to conclusions and did not take everything into account (especially the definition of the recurring word). i know that i am pushed to excel and compensate for those above me on the food chain when they are not acting in accord with what they should reasonably be doing (and therefore when they are not succeeding). but when they are fulfilling all of their duties and at times going beyond... it's easier to sit back and (simply put) do nothing.

or shall we look at this once again on an individual basis. thus bringing in the idea of learning from our personal mistakes. although often the hardest lessons learned, they are also the lessons which often stick with us for the long haul... those that we learn out of our greatest failures. and maybe this is where the author of the original statement was pointing with his thought, that as leaders we will continue to strive for success out of our failures, whereas out of success we will simply continue along the path before us.

all of this to say. we can never stay stagnant in our thoughts. our lives. or our leadership. people are watching. waiting. wondering. where we'll go. what we'll do. (and if we'll do anything). and we, too, should be wondering this of ourselves.