26A- Celebrating Failure

     I fail often both inside and outside of school. An interesting failure that comes to mind has been turkey hunting so far this semester. I am originally from Jacksonville and have hunted up there many times and also in South Carolina but the greater Gainesville area has been largely unknown to me. I found a good area of public land around here and have hunted it pretty hard since turkey season opened in mid March yet no luck so far. It has taken a while to adjust to a new piece of land and figure out where it is holding turkeys. I would consider myself pretty experienced in hunting turkeys so I would naturally blame sheer bad luck on my lack of success thus far. I have called in a few turkeys but not the old gobbler I am looking for. 

     I have learned a ton about this new area of land and also gained a lot of patience through some long, uneventful sits in the woods. Hunting definitely has no substitute for boots on the ground experience, a book or video can give you some knowledge but being in the woods is really the only way to become a better hunter. Knowing this, I realize that every early morning I leave unsuccessful I am creating a better chance for myself to outsmart the birds and bring one home next time. 

     Failure is definitely frustrating and embarrassing sometimes but it is the best way to learn no doubt. I have faith that I will bag a turkey before the end of the month and I think this class has given me a better opinion of failure as well. There have times where I have to see the positives in a failure or the opportunity to improve on a mistake and entrepreneurship preaches those principles. I think that makes me more successful in the class and in life.