Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[jasonlulu_2000]

i have two sentences for you to explain.
Sentence One:
Our excellent service brings our guests back year after year. Children(reductions) and pets welcome.
i just cannot understand the meaning of "(reductions)" in this situation.

Sentence Two:
But if you want to be a leader, you must learn to fail----- and not die a thousand deaths.

My question is as follows:
Since the author suggests we should learn to fail, why does he say " and not die a thousand deaths." ? i cannot make sense of it.

Many thanks.

Jason

[lotus]

Hi jasonlulu_2000,

Perhaps reductions mean a discounted rate?

QUOTE:
But if you want to be a leader, you must learn to fail----- and not die a thousand deaths.

There may be other interpretations, but here's what I think:

You must learn how to fail and not be discouraged each time you fail. As a leader, you should learn from each failure and become stronger each time.


--lotus

[Schweppes]

When the author refers to "dying a thousand deaths", I think he means great suffering or guilt. He's not saying that we need to learn to fail but that we need to learn not to suffer, or feel guilt, as a result of our failures. We shouldn't regret our failures. If we allow ourselves to become full of suffering and guilt because of our failure then we may start to fear failure. If we fear failure then we may start to fear taking opportunities to succeed. A good leader must not fear success or failure. I think that's what he's saying.
_________________
As far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain; and as far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality.--Albert Einstein

[LucentShade]

I think that the "die a thousand deaths" line is from a proverb of some sort, which says, "The brave die only once, but a coward dies a thousand times."