Why we should view failure as opportunity
So, you tried really hard to succeed with that goal, you gave it your all. Yet, success was not the result that was waiting to greet you.
Good. Failure is a part of life, and nobody that is chasing a dream lives in a reality where they don’t encounter failure from time to time.
Failure is not the end of the road; it is the moment on your journey where you are presented with an opportunity to get better.
But still, sometimes we all find ourselves asking the same two questions when we fail:
1. Where do I go from here?
2. Why am I not good enough?
It is true that these questions can make us feel worse about ourselves and encourage us to quit, but I believe that is only because we are asking these questions with the wrong perspective. The perspective that failure is a bad thing.
Wrong!
With the right perspective, we can use failure to better ourselves and learn priceless lessons! Let us break down some of the reasons why failure is an opportunity.
1. You’re developing the strength you need for tomorrow
“The struggle you’re in today is developing the strength you need for tomorrow. Don’t give up.” – Robert Tew.
Sometimes pain is our greatest teacher, and we must learn to listen to the lessons that it provides to us. So, you didn’t achieve what you set out to do this time?
Ask yourself, what could I have done better? Then implement the necessary actions to make the improvements. Watch how you grow as an effective human being.
It won’t be easy, but if you didn’t try and fail in the first place, you wouldn’t know the areas that you still have the opportunity to improve.
The more you endure, the stronger you become. Not only does this help us get to where we want to be, but it also provides a solid base to sustain us in the future.
2. Provides the opportunity to better our thoughts
There is a famous saying by Henry Ford, “whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re probably right”.
Take the time to practice and make your own self talk healthier.
Failing once, twice, three times and so on isn’t a state of failure that can be described as “fatal”, because you still have everything you need to get back up and go again.
That is: commitment to your dreams. You started for a reason; you must keep going. Ask yourself, why am I doing this?
How are your thought processes treating you? Are they positive? They should be “I can” and not “I can’t”.
Check that the engine is running on the right fuel before you discard the journey all together. In other words, don’t let negative thoughts take your dreams away from you.
Every time you get back up and try again you will continue to build your mental fortitude while learning something new, practice this and you cannot lose.
3. Learning to embrace the grind
Separate yourself from the results. Appreciate the effort you are capable of giving to get to your destination.
The end result is not the only thing of value while you are chasing your dreams.
The journey itself is rich with adversity, and it is adversity that builds character strong enough to sustain us for the rest of our lives.
Good things will not just be given to you, so if you give up at the first sign of failure then you can expect to never escape a reality where things in life are average.
Furthermore, if you never fail then you may not be setting the bar high enough to begin with.
If you want to achieve the things that set a fire in your stomach when you think about them, you need to show how much you want it. Every single day.
This approach will strengthen your mind, and give you the confidence that you can execute what you need to do because of all that time you’ve spent mastering your craft and learning what you need to.
And what’s more, maybe your friends and family will catch you glowing in your pursuit of excellence, so you can even inspire the people around you.
4. Conclusion
We all face failure at different stages of our lives, and in different areas. It is a necessary part of life that helps us to become better people and better professionals.
Failure is an ally to us as it strengthens our mind, tests our commitment, and shows us areas where we need to improve. Have the commitment to your goals and self-belief to get back up and try again.
Ultimately, if you can separate yourself from the outcome, you can enjoy the benefits of improvement while simply working on your craft.
And finally, success tastes ever so much sweeter when you’ve battled through the struggles to achieve your dream.
‘Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out’ – Robert Collier.