INTERVIEW: George Milton on Failure Is Not the Problem… It’s the Beginning of Your Success

It is a pleasure to welcome author, motivational speaker, Army veteran, mentor, coach, and all-around great guy, George Milton to Novels Alive today.

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

Throughout my life I failed tremendously. In every aspect of my life. There came a point in my life when the failure was overwhelming and depressing. No one had every taught me that failure was simply a part of life. Not until I was in basic training at the age of 22 did anyone ever attempt to explain to me that failure was not the problem, how I responded to failure would make the difference in achieving my goals and aspirations or not. That wise individual was Sergeant First Class George Gaither, our Platoon Sergeant. Although I experience many failures, I also accomplished a modicum of success. Shortly before retiring from the Army I applied for and submitted a logo and phrase to the United Patent and Trademark Office. The submission was denied. Again, failure! It was at that point that I decided to write my book to let the world know that for me, all my failures throughout my entire life prepared me to become successful. I wanted to share this message with everyone who struggles daily with failing and want to coach, mentor, and train people on how to change their mindset regarding failure from negative to positive. While writing my book I spoke to many people and it became very apparent that most have an exceedingly difficult time accepting, understanding, or embracing failure on most levels. Therefore, in order to help my readers gently ease into approaching this very difficult topic, not only did I write my book, I also wrote a workbook and a journal.

What do you hope readers will learn/discover from reading your book?

That failure does not really exist except for in the mind. Just like success, failure, if responded to correctly can propel one to obtain their greatest achievements. Failure is not to be feared but rather understood as simply experiences and that the most important lesson to learn is not what happens to someone but how one responds to failure.

What inspired you to write your book?

The desire to help others avoid the stressors brought on by what we have learned regarding the negativity of failure. And to revolutionize the world by teaching people how to use their failures to live a more abundant, happy, joyful and fulfilled life.

What’s next for you?

I am starting my next book to be entitled, Failure Is Not The Problem, It’s Your Leadership. This in my short-term goal. My long-term goal is to try and get a licensing deal with Nike or perhaps Adidas to start a Failure Is Not The Problem campaign in every sport beginning with youth, high school, collegiate and professional athletes; using my logo and phrase with it registered with the United States Patent and Trademark. The first logo and phrase failed but I submitted a second logo and phrase and it was approved. I responded to my initial failure by coming up with a more unique and better logo and phrase. I responded correctly to my initial failure.

What was the most difficult aspect of writing your book?

Actually, sitting down and starting to write. I know this is a cliché, but it’s true. I had literally finished putting together the research and praying and had everything that I wanted to write about. It was not until I heard in my head God saying, “if you don’t write this book, I will find someone else to do it.” It was at that point I literally sat down and began writing. I wholeheartedly believe that God wrote the book through me. I do not want to sound overly religious or spiritual, but that’s how it happened for me. A lifetime of failure brought to life for others to experience and understand from events a single person endured.

Did you have to do any special research for your book?

I don’t know if I would call it special, but I spoke to many people, or at least tried to speak to people and most were resistant and very uncomfortable talking about their failures. Honestly, there was not a lot of information from a positive perspective regarding failure. The information I did find was somewhat superficial and told people that failure either was not an option or was inherently negative. Two views I absolutely and abhorrently disagree with.

Why do you write? Is it something you’ve always wanted done, or always wanted to do, or is it something that you started fairly recently?

I mainly write to inspire, motivate, educate and empower people to move from where they are to where they are meant to be. I believe every person on the earth has a purpose. I have always had a very wild imagination. I started out in life barely knowing how to read or write. Yet, within me I always wanted to be able to express myself through writing. The more education I received, the more I was able to take those images in my mind and put it on paper.

In five words describe your book.

Freeing, Motivating, Inspiring, Honest, and Achievable!

What three books would you recommend:

1. What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey.
Why? Ms. Winfrey’s book motivates us to do some much needed introspection into what we know for sure about ourselves and what we believe and how those perspectives can change our lives for the better.

2. Higher Is Waiting by Tyler Perry.
Why? Mr. Perry writes about his life and his successes were and are being totally impacted by his spiritual awakening and the journey he is now on. I personally and professionally identify with all of his stories and analogies. After finishing Mr. Perry’s book, I immediately read it a second time. I actually used his book as a morning devotional during those two readings.

3. It Worked For Me: In Life and Leadership by Retired General Colin Powell.
Why? Throughout my military career I never had an “official” mentor. So, I had to “self-mentor.” In doing so, I read lots of books on leadership. This particular book, not to mention the fact that he was a Soldier, spoke personally to me as a leader. Anyone who wants to become a better leader should definitely read and become familiar with General Powell’s 13 Rules of Leadership.

Of all the books I’ve read, there is no single book which has significantly contributed to my writing style. It has been and continues to be a compilation of books in which I have read. To choose one would be a disservice to all other books which have impacted not only my writing style but my thought processes also.

Thank you so much for joining us today. Your words have inspired and motivated me to do some things I’ve put off doing. Thank you so much and now I’m going to go to my favorite retailer and buy your book!

What would you do if you had a revolutionary resource to help you become a successful leader, reach your goals, make your life better and propel you to become all that you are meant to be?

Sounds impossible? Well, it is not! In the “impossible” is the “possible.” And if you want the possibility of becoming successful, United States Army Retired Colonel, George Milton’s book, Failure Is Not The Problem, It’s The Beginning Of Your Success is a must read. Most leadership books major themes discuss how to achieve success only, but in life we all fail sometimes. And a lot of us fail miserably and oftentimes, more than we care to mention.

Throughout my life I have faced multiple failures over many years, yet I went on to achieve most of the goals I set for myself. It wasn’t always that way. In the beginning of my life failure hung over my head like an albatross around my neck. It wasn’t until I learned how to accept my failures and use those experiences to make myself better that I began to understand the value that my failure offered.

Too often we have been taught that failure has little or no value. We learn how to minimally tolerate our failure most times but not how to fully embrace our failures because of the negativity associated with that one powerful word.

I wrote my book, workbook and journal in order to help those who are struggling with failure learn a better way of becoming successful. The topic is failure, but the goal for my readers is to learn how to become successful by utilizing their failures as their strength and not experience failure as a weakness as most have been taught.

If you want to succeed you must walk through the doorway of this life changing resource, failure. In my book I address the challenges of adversity and how failure can motivate you, focus you, and change your life for the better.

In my book I share my story of growth from a difficult youth to a distinguished career Army combat officer. I share that it was only possible because I changed and adjusted my attitude to understand that my failures were actually my greatest resource. Not only do I reveal personal triumphs and defeats.

I demonstrate how in 12 easy to follow steps, you can transform your mindset from negative to positive regarding failure and in the process become successful.

Failure is a very difficult topic for most people to talk about and share. Therefore, not only did I write a book, but I also wrote a workbook and a journal to accompany my book so as to ease the challenge of approaching this sometimes-complex topic.

When I speak to people about their failures, I will sometimes present to the audience this one question, “when you fail, in one word, describe how that failure makes you feel.” Overwhelmingly there are two words that are at the forefront: disappointed and depressed.

The time has come for us to turn the page and reengage that one word, failure, and understand that once we learn how to accept our failures as a natural part of our lives, we will be able to not only achieve our life’s goals, but will be better equipped to live a more productive and happier life.

It is my hope that anyone who reads my book or finds the courage to go through the workbook and journal will understand that if they genuinely want to become successful and obtain their long sought-after goals and ambitions, they will learn how to embrace their failures as well as learn the important lessons and nuggets that failure has in store for them.

Here is a formula I came up with to remind myself of how to respond to my failures.

F+RR=S

Failure + Right Response = Success

In other words, when I fail, if I respond to my failure with the right response, to learn, to get better, to change my direction in life, to change my goals, then my chances of obtaining my objectives and successes will increase. Versus, blaming or making excuses and worst case, quitting.

Join me on this quest to change the world and impact the lives of people everywhere by helping them change their mindset to accept, understand, and learn that failure, when responded to properly is their greatest resource to help them become all that they are meant to be.

Release Date: March 2, 2020

George Milton is the CEO of Failure Is Not The Problem, LLC, a consulting company that specializes in leadership development and training, life coaching, and motivational speaking. He is a United States Army Retired, Colonel who has over 30 years of experience as an internationally known Communicator, Coach, Mentor, Trainer Intuitive Counselor, Teacher, Inspirational Speaker, TV Co-Host and Author. George connects with people of all ages on all levels. He is a former University Assistant Professor who has extensive experience working with the federal government but also has a tremendous background in working within city government and community organizations. In his role as a Senior Staff Officer at European Command in Stuttgart, Germany he routinely briefed and spoke with Ambassadors. He has experience speaking to and training foreign government officials and delivering oration to foreign public entities. As the Division Chief of the Civil Partnership Division, at European Command, he led on an annual basis, a group of staff members to Oxford University, in Oxford, England on a two week trip to study and learn how to properly” Partner” with civilian agencies in support of military organizations.

George Milton’s straight-from-the-heart, passion and high-energy, motivates audiences to step beyond their limitations and into their greatness in many ways. Over the past decade, George has used his role from keynote speaker to Master Trainer, creating the kind of workshop learning experience that got him committed to personal-and-professional development. His charisma, warmth and humor have transformed ordinary people into extraordinary achievers by using his own life, and his in-depth study of others’ challenges, to build an understanding of what works, what doesn’t work, and why.

He is a Certified Trainer in Success Principles, successfully completing the competency examination, and adoption of the Canfield Code of Ethics.

Tour organized by Wnlbooktours.com