“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Those words of Thomas Edison are a great reminder that failure isn’t always a bad thing.
It is easy to look at other people’s achievements and think that those successes came easily or that they are lucky individuals, but the truth is that many successful ventures are borne out of some sort of failure.
As much as it feels painful, failure is an important part of life. Indeed, it is through failure that we learn some of the greatest lessons in life.
When we think about failure, we rarely see it in a positive light – we often associate failing with guilt and regret. But someone who has experienced failure, got back up and learned from the experience will probably tell you that the episode actually turned out to be very valuable and necessary for success.
Even the most successful people have failed in their lives at some point, but they have leveraged those experiences and used them as a learning curve to achieve success. Taking risks and failing sometimes is important in life.It shapes who we are and helps us to ultimately become better at what we do.
Failure isn’t glamorous. We as people naturally want to think about success, celebrating the great achievements and glossing over events that haven’t gone so well.
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So, why is it important to fail?
Failure is not a step backwards, it’s a great stepping stone for success. We don’t grow and learn if we don’t step out of our comfort zone and push ourselves every once in a while. For me failure is part of life and part of business - it’s how we deal with failure that’s important.
If you’ve failed at something recently or you’re afraid of failing, keep these lessons in mind to help you remember that failure can be a good thing.
Lesson 1 – knowledge
It is a very important lesson to learn that failure allows us to gain knowledge. The experience of failing is potent, because it allows us to reflect on where we went wrong and look at how we can do things differently the next time.
Lesson 2 – resilience
People who experience failure and then overcome it are likely to be more resilient and better able to cope with what life throws at them. By choosing to learn from the lesson and become wiser, rather than letting failure defeat you, failure then becomes a positive rather than a negative.
Lesson 3 – perspective
Failure helps us to learn and understand that success isn’t easy and it doesn’t happen overnight. It teaches us that we need to work hard to achieve our goals. It also allows us to reflect and put things into perspective, so that we can navigate away from difficult experiences.
Lesson 4 – clarity
Failure allows us to see what went wrong and how we could make a new path to success by not making the same mistake again. Failure is inevitable and it can make us feel bad, but it also gives us the opportunity to clearly evaluate a situation and move beyond any regret.
Lesson 5 – courage
We’re taught from a young age that failure is something to be afraid of, but if we never fail, we haven’t really lived. If we’ve experienced failure and bounced back, it can give us the courage to be ambitious and try new things. What’s the worst that can happen if we fail?
Recovering from failure
Pushing ahead and not giving up is one of the best ways to recover from failure. If we understand that it’s okay to fail and we stay motivated and work towards our goals, then failing can be reframed to be a positive thing.
And if we surround ourselves with people who can support us and help to pick us up if we fail, we can be more confident to take the next leap or calculated risk.
Failure is feedback and it brings you one step nearer to success.
FAQs
Failure helps us to learn and understand that success isn't easy and it doesn't happen overnight. It teaches us that we need to work hard to achieve our goals. It also allows us to reflect and put things into perspective, so that we can navigate away from difficult experiences.
Why is failure the first step to success? ›
As Oprah Winfrey once said, ” Failure is another stepping stone to greatness “. Failure doesn't mean that you are incapable of doing anything or you don't deserve it. It requires a lot of courage to accept failure, to restart the process on the way to success. Keeping failure in mind will not push you forward.
Why failure is success in progress? ›
Failure is not the end, but rather a stepping stone towards personal growth and success. It provides a reality check, teaches invaluable lessons, offers second chances, builds character, and realigns us with our goals.
How failure is the way to achieve success? ›
Failure can turn into success solely because of the option to try again repeatedly. Determination and focus often increase after experiencing setbacks, especially when you are close to attaining your ambition. You might accomplish your goal on the second attempt or it might take several tries.
Why does failure make one a better person? ›
Every loss, every failure and every challenge only makes your foundation stronger. The stronger the foundation, the more there is to build off of. The more there is to build from, the better and stronger your character will be. The stronger your character, the more success you'll have.”
Why is failure so important? ›
Failure is not something to be feared or avoided, but rather embraced as a natural part of the learning process. Whether in our personal or professional lives, failure can teach us valuable lessons, help us grow and develop, and lead us to success we might never have achieved otherwise.
How do you turn failure into success? ›
Learn from it.
After figuring out what caused the failure, learn how to prevent it from happening again. Make a game plan and execute it. If it was a failed test or assignment, try out new study techniques. If it was an interview, try a different tactic next time.
What are the 5 benefits of failure? ›
We learn to tolerate disappointment and tap into our deepest wishes and never give up on pursuing them even in the face of failure. Humility: when we can step back and allow our embarrassment to wash through us we can realize most people are not judging us and we can also let our own inner judge off the hook.
How failure leads to great success? ›
Based on what we learned from our failures, our brains create and maintain new neural pathways — helping us avoid the same mistakes in the future, grow more resilient, and, eventually, find success. In addition to supporting cognitive growth, failure strengthens professionalism.
Do failures lead to success? ›
Remember, it's not about how many times you fall, but how many times you get back up and keep going. Let go of the fear of failure, take risks, and chase your dreams with confidence, knowing that failure can be a catalyst for your ultimate success.
Failure helps us to learn and understand that success isn't easy and it doesn't happen overnight. It teaches us that we need to work hard to achieve our goals. It also allows us to reflect and put things into perspective, so that we can navigate away from difficult experiences.
Is failure the mother of success? ›
"Failure is the mother of all success" is an ancient Chinese proverb, and a great summary of the reality of the world. If you think about the greatest innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders of our time, they have all experienced numerous failures before achieving success.
Why failure teaches success? ›
Failure brings a world of opportunity
Failure means we've been given the chance to take stock, pause, then take a deep breath and start again. Nine times out of ten, if we've honestly learned from failure, we'll come back bigger, better, and bolder than we were before.
Why does failure motivate you? ›
The more they failed, the more they learned…and the more successful they became: they didn't give up. They learned from what didn't work, and found better ways of doing things. Really successful people fail forward. They use their failures as feedback, and they're willing to fail over and over again.
How does failure strengthen a person? ›
However, if you've ever failed and learned from the experience, you know failure makes you stronger. Every trial and tribulation will enable a new opportunity for growth and allow you to acquire the most valuable data. Failure makes you stronger because the experience can be analyzed and help refine your process.
How to accept failure and move on? ›
Give yourself permission to feel
Rather than struggling with our feelings, it can be more helpful to allow them to be. First, try to identify and label the emotion. Then, allow yourself time to experience it, remembering that failure is a part of everyone's life experience, and actually, crucial to success.
Why failure comes before success? ›
It is part of the road to success. Failure is life's greatest teacher. It builds your character and humbles you. Failure is suspended success until the right moment, but in the meantime, you must work hard, think hard and be consistent.
Why it is said that failure is the key to success? ›
Failure helps us to learn and understand that success isn't easy and it doesn't happen overnight. It teaches us that we need to work hard to achieve our goals. It also allows us to reflect and put things into perspective, so that we can navigate away from difficult experiences.
How did failure lead to success? ›
Based on what we learned from our failures, our brains create and maintain new neural pathways — helping us avoid the same mistakes in the future, grow more resilient, and, eventually, find success. In addition to supporting cognitive growth, failure strengthens professionalism.
Why is failure the stepping stone to success? ›
When you fail, remember that you are merely one step closer to success. The setbacks you face make you smarter and more resilient, equipping you with valuable knowledge that prepares you for victory.
