Print this page
Sunday, 05 November 2017 04:57

Handling Failure. Featured

Written by
Rate this item
(0 votes)

Why are you avoiding failing, and why does it look like it is the end of the world when you fail at something dear? To define failure in any context, you must first ask: what are you falling short of? What standards are you lacking? By which metrics are you failing? You can’t truly know what it means to fail if you don’t know what it means to succeed.

I have failed so many times in my life. I still fail sometimes, but I am not a failure. I know that school sabotage our relationship with failure. It installs in us some negative ways to deal with and handle failure. The results of your test and exams, states if you passed or failed. If you fail, there are consequences—your teachers and parents might be disappointed with you, you probably won’t get into the next class or the next level of your program. You might repeat or be kicked off. The price of failing is a very high price. You just can’t afford to fail.

Having this in mind, we have a terrible relationship with failure. Our educational system literally teaches us to associate failing with people being angry with us, opportunity slipping away, and having to spend our entire summers at school while our friends are all having fun outside. The message we learn from this is not positive. It instils the fear of failing in us. The moment you have the fear of failing, you will attract more failing. It is a never ending vicious cycle. If you fail, you’ll be punished. Supposedly, if you manage to not fail, you’re OK until you fail. The problem is that this belief is horribly misguided, and it sets us up for a lifetime of failure outside of the classroom.

To get better you need to change your own definition of failure. This will enable you to change your perspective. This will enable you to see the positive in failing and attract positive results despite failing. You have no option, but to accept failing is good for you. Failure is a necessary precursor to ultimate success. Want to make it big in the real world? Fail early, fail fast, fail often, as the saying goes.

When you fail, it is the process that failed, and not you. Creating a purposeful life requires messing up and venturing into the unknown. While we all want success, this is not guaranteed. That’s why the ability to recover from setback and move forward is essential. And this starts with embracing, processing, and even benefiting from failure. Failure is the best teacher. Until you experience failure, you won’t learn the secrets embedded that will enable you to succeed. Scientists have long understood that the brain has two ways of learning. One is avoidance learning, which is a punishing, negative experience that trains the brain to avoid repeating mistakes. The other is reward-based learning, a positive, reinforcing experience in which the brain feels rewarded for reaching the right answer.

In the educational system, failure means lost opportunity. But in the real world, failure is the currency for success. There is no success without failure. No matter how brilliant you think you are, you can’t tiptoe past failure on the way to success, failure is the front door. You’re not better or smarter than failure, you’re not above it and you can’t escape it. You’re going to fail many times, probably more than you succeed. If that idea made you queasy, well, get used to it. Failure doesn’t mean you are not good enough. Failure is just a data for you to work with. It is basic information that gives insight. It is a feedback.

The currency you earn from failing is the data and information the failure presents to you. How you use this data and information will determine how successful you will become. The more times you fail, the more data you earn, and the richer and more knowledgeable you become. Failure should not be taken for granted. It should not be taken on a face value. It is valuable to fail. As a matter of fact, failure is as precious as gold. If you want to achieve anything worthwhile, you must let go of the idea that failure is something to avoid. Nobody wants to fail, but you must be willing to fail if you ever want the chance to succeed.

Life is not like a restaurant where you can choose your meal. You don’t have the choice and leisure to choose between failure and success.  It doesn’t matter how much you achieve, or how good you think you are, you’ll never be immune to failure. Expect it often. Anticipate it. Remember that even though you can have failure without success, you can’t have success without failure. Failure is inevitable.

There is always room for improvement no matter how great you are. Sometimes, you’ll never know which areas need improvement unless you fail. You learn more from failure than from success. Failure makes you stronger, not weaker. Failure shouldn’t break or stop you, because you’re unstoppable. If you break or stop, it is not because of failing, it is because you decided to give up. You made the decision to give up. You take more chances in life when you are not afraid to fail. When you fail, oftentimes you’ll realise the present path you’re on is not the right one. You invest more time, and you discover a better path that leads to your goals and objectives. Failing shows you the right path.

Whenever you fail you have a choice. It is either you focus on the facts or you focus on the emotions. If you emphasise your feelings after an instance of failure, you’ll succumb to the victim mindset. Don’t make yourself a victim. If you are a victim of failure, your focus becomes your misfortune. Victims are passive and helpless. Failure feels worse than it is if you feel like a victim.

When you fail, don’t make it personal. Just because you haven’t found a successful way of doing something doesn’t mean you are a failure.  Look at the failure analytically. Don’t be in a hurry to shove it. There are lessons to be learned. Dissect it, learn all you can. Why did you fail? What might have produced a better outcome? Was the failure completely beyond your control? After gathering the facts, step back and ask yourself, what did I learn from this?  Think about how you will apply this newly found insight going forward.

Obsessing over your failure will not change the outcome, so stop dwelling on it. Often our fear of failure is rooted in our fear of being judged and losing others’ respect and esteem. You don't need anyone’s approval. The key to success is handling failure. If you risk failure, sometimes you will fail. But every time you fail, you’re that much closer to success. Success demands its percentage of failure.

Be aware that whenever you are doing something new, learning something new, taking risks or stepping outside your comfort zone, you are risking failure. All is not lost when you fail.

34576 comments

  • Comment Link golden goose sneakers Wednesday, 08 June 2022 02:52 posted by golden goose sneakers

    I must express some appreciation to this writer for bailing me out of this type of condition. Because of searching through the the net and meeting notions that were not beneficial, I was thinking my entire life was gone. Existing without the solutions to the problems you have fixed through this short post is a crucial case, and those which could have in a negative way damaged my entire career if I hadn't encountered the website. That natural talent and kindness in controlling all the stuff was very useful. I am not sure what I would've done if I had not come across such a stuff like this. I can at this point look forward to my future. Thanks a lot very much for your skilled and result oriented guide. I will not hesitate to recommend your blog post to any person who should have assistance on this problem.

  • Comment Link moncler Wednesday, 08 June 2022 02:52 posted by moncler

    I wish to show my appreciation to the writer for bailing me out of this particular dilemma. As a result of surfing throughout the world-wide-web and obtaining tips which are not powerful, I believed my life was over. Existing minus the approaches to the issues you've sorted out through your entire post is a serious case, and ones that could have negatively damaged my entire career if I hadn't encountered your blog post. Your own natural talent and kindness in touching the whole thing was vital. I am not sure what I would have done if I hadn't encountered such a subject like this. I can also now relish my future. Thanks a lot very much for your professional and results-oriented help. I will not think twice to refer your blog post to any individual who will need guidelines about this subject matter.

  • Comment Link bape Wednesday, 08 June 2022 02:52 posted by bape

    I not to mention my guys were found to be reading through the best tricks on your web site and all of a sudden got a terrible feeling I never thanked you for those tips. My guys were absolutely warmed to see them and have now simply been using these things. Thanks for actually being simply accommodating and then for deciding on this sort of amazing things most people are really wanting to understand about. My very own honest regret for not expressing gratitude to you sooner.

  • Comment Link supreme hoodie Wednesday, 08 June 2022 02:52 posted by supreme hoodie

    I have to show my thanks to this writer for rescuing me from this incident. Right after researching through the search engines and seeing views that were not helpful, I figured my life was over. Living without the solutions to the issues you've solved through your entire post is a serious case, and the kind that would have negatively damaged my career if I had not encountered your web blog. Your actual expertise and kindness in touching all the details was crucial. I am not sure what I would've done if I had not come across such a solution like this. It's possible to at this time relish my future. Thanks very much for the professional and results-oriented help. I won't think twice to recommend the website to anyone who would like guide about this subject.

  • Comment Link curry shoes Wednesday, 08 June 2022 02:52 posted by curry shoes

    Thank you a lot for providing individuals with remarkably remarkable chance to read from this blog. It is always very ideal plus packed with a good time for me and my office fellow workers to visit your web site more than three times a week to find out the newest guidance you have got. And lastly, we're certainly fulfilled with all the exceptional inspiring ideas served by you. Selected two areas in this article are clearly the most impressive I've had.

  • Comment Link jordan 6 Wednesday, 08 June 2022 02:52 posted by jordan 6

    I just wanted to make a small message in order to thank you for these marvelous guides you are placing on this site. My incredibly long internet lookup has finally been honored with awesome facts to exchange with my close friends. I would admit that most of us visitors actually are very endowed to live in a fabulous network with many outstanding individuals with great things. I feel pretty blessed to have used your webpage and look forward to so many more awesome moments reading here. Thank you once again for a lot of things.

  • Comment Link air jordan Wednesday, 08 June 2022 02:52 posted by air jordan

    I truly wanted to write down a small word so as to express gratitude to you for the wonderful tricks you are giving out on this website. My time-consuming internet research has finally been paid with pleasant facts and techniques to exchange with my friends and family. I 'd point out that many of us visitors are rather lucky to live in a really good website with many perfect professionals with interesting things. I feel quite lucky to have encountered your entire web page and look forward to so many more enjoyable minutes reading here. Thanks once more for everything.

  • Comment Link curry 8 Wednesday, 08 June 2022 00:57 posted by curry 8

    I wish to express my appreciation to the writer just for bailing me out of this condition. As a result of researching through the the web and getting concepts that were not powerful, I figured my life was over. Existing devoid of the approaches to the difficulties you've solved by means of this short article is a serious case, as well as ones that would have negatively affected my entire career if I had not come across your blog. Your main knowledge and kindness in handling every item was crucial. I am not sure what I would have done if I had not come across such a subject like this. It's possible to now look forward to my future. Thank you so much for your expert and effective guide. I won't be reluctant to refer the blog to anyone who would like assistance on this topic.

  • Comment Link pcusefyd Tuesday, 07 June 2022 23:01 posted by pcusefyd

    where To Buy Cialis?

  • Comment Link yeezys Tuesday, 07 June 2022 22:23 posted by yeezys

    Thank you for all of the labor on this site. Kim loves doing research and it is obvious why. A number of us notice all concerning the powerful mode you deliver great strategies via the web blog and as well invigorate contribution from other individuals on the point then our own daughter is now learning a whole lot. Take advantage of the remaining portion of the year. Your conducting a great job.