Failure
Failure. The word itself is a little scary. While failure is a part of life, it is still avoided like the plague. It is a subject that no one particularly likes to talk about, but I am here to tell you the good side of failure! Below I outlined the three reasons why we should not be scared of failure and four ways on how to fail (the right way)!
Why We Shouldn’t Fear Failure
1 | NO ONE IS PERFECT
You have failed before, I have failed before, everyone has failed before. And guess what? We will all fail again! Failure is inevitable. We might have the misconception from social media that no one fails, but oh how wrong that is. Even those we look up to have failed. J.K. Rowling’s manuscript for Harry Potter was rejected by 12 different publishing houses! That means her manuscript failed her 12 times. But because J.K. Rowling did not let those failures stop her, Harry Potter has turned into a series of novels and movies, along with an entire Harry Potter World amusement park!
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2 | YOU LEARNED
Failure is one of the best lessons we receive from life. The only way to avoid failure is to never try. Failure often ends with, “I will never do that again!” Something I will never do again is substituting granulated sugar for powdered sugar in an icing recipe! It only took the one time (or taste) to learn that lesson! I also learned to make sure my car headlights are turned off at night, or I will be late the next day because of a dead car battery. Success is knowing what to do, but also what not to do. While it is difficult in a moment of defeat to look for lessons, they are always there. It is a good thing to learn– even if you stumbled along the way.
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Thomas A. Edison
3 | IT IS NOT THE END
As with everything in life, failure is temporary. We have to move on from our failure and see where we should go next. While we might need to fail in order to succeed, there is no need to stay in this place of failure. We can still be grateful for this experience, believe in ourselves, and be motivated to succeed. Can you imagine if J.K. Rowling let her first rejection of Harry Potter be the end? Me either- and I do not want to!
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill.
HOW TO FAIL
Because failure is inevitable, we should not be concerned with if we fail but how we fail. Think of yourself as setting an example. When you succeed, you will inspire others. But, failure will still be part of your story. Because we cannot avoid failure, we have to learn how to fail. I know it seems funny to learn how to fail, but it is very simple.
1 | Take Responsibility
2 | Do not overreact
3 | View failing as learning
4 | Move on
That is it! Accepting failure and moving on are key parts in succeeding! It is easier said than done to move on from a failure, but remember that you are not alone! Reach out to a loved one about your struggles, journal about what is going on, take care of yourself, and be proud of your positive growth! Before you know it, you will stay motivated and will be making your vision board a reality!
What are your thoughts on failure? How has failure served you? Do you have any “I will never do that!” stories to share? Please comment below and tell me what you think of my thoughts on failure and any of yours to add! If you know someone who could benefit from this article, please show you care and share the bear! Be sure to sign up for my emails and follow on social media to get the most of the positive world of Brightside Bear!