If You’re Going to Fail (and you will) Fail Well

We put so much focus on success that if we fail to attain it, we immediately think it’s indicative of something greater, that your idea, your plan, or even you, has flaws, but what if failure was a required step in the process of your success?

Learning how to fail should be a required course in elementary school.

Consider there is no one in this world who has not failed at something, yet no where are we taught what failure really means, how to deal with it positively, and most importantly, that we can learn and grow from it.

Life does not hand out participation ribbons. It will kick you in the ass, guaranteed. If you take the opportunity to learn from that ass-kicking, it will do you some good!

We’re teaching our kids the wrong thing.

Learning, creating, and building things such as a business, a family, a goal, or any other thing you desire, has potholes and pitfalls along the way to its creation and attainment. Sadly, no one teaches us how to deal with those failures or how to learn the valuable lessons they provide.

Life is full of failures and successes. When I was succeeding, I didn’t learn anything, I just kept on doing what I was doing because it was apparently working. Why fix something that’s not broken?

But I was missing out on so much. There was a whole world within me I wasn’t aware that I possessed since it wasn’t being tapped in to, tried, or forced out. That’s what failure gives you. It gives you the opportunity to dig deep, to learn just how strong you truly are and what you are capable of accomplishing. I never would have learned that had I kept succeeding.

I failed a lot! I learned a lot! You should try it. I’m sure most of you have, but did you learn the lesson as well?

Lessons to learn from failing:

1) Failing does not mean you’re a failure, it just means you haven’t found the right path for your skills and abilities. You can’t be good at everything. Failing helps you to hone and specialize your gifts and talents.

2) Failing will not kill you. You may be embarrassed or you may feel really bad about yourself, but you will not die. You may think you want to, but you will not die.

3) Failure helps to uncover your strengths. Sometimes you don’t know what you are capable of doing or handling until you are forced to do it. Failure reveals strengths you may not have known you have.

4) Failing helps to open your eyes to other opportunities. Maybe you failed because you need to make some changes to what you’re doing, or that you’re meant to be doing something totally different. Follow failure and see where it leads you.

5) Failing helps strengthen your determination to succeed. Allow failure to fuel your drive and determination. My favorite motto is… “Oh yah? Watch me!”

Lessons NOT to learn from failing:

1) It’s a sign you are worthless.

2) It makes you bitter and resentful.

3) It means you should quit trying.

4) It proves you are stupid or doomed to remain stuck forever.

5) It’s an excuse to give up on your dreams and goals.

Failure is a part of life. The lessons you learn from it will determine where in life you go, how far, and how you get there.

Failure is like the two sides of a coin; it can define you, or it can align you.

Happy failing!