“Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”—Napoleon Hill
No one wishes to fail, but failure is inevitable…if one desires, ultimately, to succeed. It is rare, albeit impossible, to succeed at everything one attempts. So, why are we so often afraid of failure?
There is only way to be successful at anything. That is to risk failure. Otherwise, we play it safe. We don’t extend beyond our comfort zone.
No one who has ever been successful has been so without having the faith to fail. Having the “faith to fail” means we accept the consequences of failure. We accept that there is much we can learn from failure. We accept that there is good to come from failure. We accept failure as a necessary lesson learned. According to Elbert Hubbard, “there is no failure except in no longer trying.” Indeed, there can be no success without effort. There can be no effort without accepting the risk of failure.
I have recently been enriching myself with a daily dose of podcasts and motivational readings. The most consistent thread in all stories of successful people is one of failure. Why is it, then, that our society has grown increasingly adverse to failure? Too many fail to see the benefits of failure. Too often, we fail to see the potential lessons to be learned. In sports, education, business, relationships, etc., we shy away from taking chances because we are afraid to fail. We either don’t take risks when opportunity presents, or we simply stop keeping score so there is no loser. It is such a pity that so many see failure in such a negative light.
Athletes know that failure is a part of competition. In wrestling, we say, “there are only winners and learners.” Mia Hamm is quoted as saying that “failure happens all the time. It happens every day in practice. What makes you better is how you react to it.” How true it is that we are not defeated by failure. Rather, it is our response to failure that makes or breaks us. Successful people accept the risk of failure as an opportunity to grow. Successful people accept failure. Successful people learn from failure. Successful people don’t enjoy failing any more than unsuccessful people. Successful people simply realize that there is opportunity only in trying, and trying means there is a risk of not succeeding. Failure presents and opportunity to learn.
I contend that we need to encourage failure. In the process, we must have the faith that we will survive and we will grow from the experience. We must have the faith that the outcome of our effort is always for the greater good. We must live in the moment and examine our circumstances. If an effort fails, what is the lesson to be learned? Likewise, what are we to learn from our successes?
Determination. Grit. Self-efficacy. Fortitude. Resilience. These are but a few of the fruits of failure.
Be your best today (if you fail, so be it–learn from it!); be better tomorrow.
“They who have conquered doubt and fear have conquered failure.”—James Allen