Be thankful for all successes, lose your ego, take risks, fail

Hear the words of Cynthia Rowley, a creator of beauty and boldness, who declared: “Be thankful for all successes, lose your ego, take risks, fail fast, and if you don’t absolutely love what you do, run!” This saying is like a map drawn for the wanderer in pursuit of greatness—a guide that does not promise ease, but shows the heart how to walk with courage, humility, and passion. Her words are not merely for the artist or the entrepreneur, but for all souls who long to live with meaning.

The first jewel in her teaching is the call to be thankful for all successes. No triumph, however small, is to be despised. Gratitude is the foundation of endurance, for it reminds us that every step forward is gift as well as labor. The one who pauses to give thanks for each success, even the modest ones, will find renewed strength to continue. The ungrateful heart, on the other hand, grows weary, for it never sees how far it has come. Gratitude transforms progress into joy.

The second flame is the warning to lose your ego. Pride is the great enemy of growth. The ego whispers that you are already enough, that you need not learn, that failure is beneath you. But Rowley reminds us that only the humble can grow, and only the teachable can endure. Ego builds walls; humility opens doors. To cast aside ego is to be free—free to learn, free to listen, free to stumble without shame and rise again stronger.

The third truth is the exhortation to take risks. Life without risk is stagnation, and stagnation is slow death. The ancients knew this well—sailors did not discover new worlds by clinging to the shore. Risk is the forge where courage is tested and where true possibility is born. Yet Rowley does not speak of reckless risk, but of bold, purposeful striving: the willingness to step beyond comfort in pursuit of what matters most.

The fourth jewel is the command to fail fast. Failure is not the enemy—it is the teacher. But to cling to failure too long, to wallow in it, is to be destroyed by it. The wise learn quickly, rise quickly, and move forward swiftly. Thomas Edison, in his quest for the electric light, declared he had not failed but discovered thousands of ways that did not work. His speed of learning turned failures into stepping-stones. Rowley’s words echo this ancient principle: do not fear failure; embrace it, learn from it, and hasten onward.

The fifth flame is perhaps the most piercing: “If you don’t absolutely love what you do, run!” Here is the essence of passion. Work without love is slavery; effort without joy is despair. To labor long in what you hate will wither the soul. But to work with love, even in hardship, is to taste freedom. History gives us the story of Vincent van Gogh, who knew poverty, rejection, and despair, yet painted with such love that his works became eternal. Though he suffered, his devotion burned bright, for he loved the work itself. Without such love, endurance fades.

The lesson for us is clear: walk the path of gratitude, humility, courage, resilience, and passion. These are the pillars that hold a meaningful life. Do not cling to ego, do not cling to fear, do not cling to empty labor. Instead, embrace risk, accept failure, honor success, and above all, love what you do. For only love can sustain you through storms, and only gratitude can remind you of the blessings along the way.

Practically, begin today by naming the successes you have already gained, and give thanks for them. Then ask yourself: Am I holding onto ego that hinders my growth? Am I avoiding the risks that might lead me to greatness? Am I lingering in failures instead of learning from them? And most of all—do I love what I do? If the answer is no, have the courage to change your course. For as Rowley declares, life is too precious to waste on unloved pursuits.

Thus her words resound across time as a heroic call: be thankful, be humble, be brave, be swift, and above all, be in love with your life’s work. For in such a path lies not only success, but joy, freedom, and legacy.