[WI] Why Is Failure Really Part Of Your Success?

This is a question that might not always make sense ‒ when things don’t go the way you wanted, what is the first thing you think of?

Do you scold and reprimand yourself, or do you reassure yourself that it is part of growing stronger and wiser with everything you face?

In the real world, it isn’t the successes that strengthen you and make you more successful; it’s the failures that stop you in your tracks and give you food for thought.

Every time you fail, you actually have a bit of success. Why? Well, simply because it gives you an opportunity to learn from your mistakes, improve on your ideas, and give it another go. Look at failures as developing a prototype.

Here are some of the world’s greatest failures that turned out to become some of the most ubiquitous inventions of our time:

• 3M’s greatest failure was inventing glue that simply wouldn’t stick. That became the “Post-It Note.”

• Scientists who were trying to develop medication for the treatment of high blood pressure in men, made one of the greatest discoveries. It didn’t affect blood pressure, but had an unexpected side effect, called Viagra ‒ one of the most successful failures ever.

There are many failures that ended up in something different and hugely successful. On the other side, many times something that is hugely successful today, failed many times before inventors made the breakthrough.

Failing doesn’t necessarily mean that each time you fail, you will end up with something different that is an immediate success, but it’s a stepping-stone on the way to great things.

Success Is Mostly Appreciated After Failing

Thomas Edison had a different approach ‒ a positive attitude towards failure. When asked why so many of his experiments failed, he said his experiments never failed, each experiment helped him discover just one more way something wouldn’t work.

So, sometimes the only way to know whether you have succeeded or not, is to fail.

3 Easy Ways To Learn How to Face Disappointment

Handling the disappointment of not succeeding by failing again and again is tough ‒ not only for adults, but for children as well. Nothing beats the feeling of having success, but everyone fails at some point in their lives.

Teaching children how to deal with the frustration and disappointment is critical.

Throwing a tantrum at any age is definitely not appealing, let alone an adult who should know better.

As a young newspaper reporter, most of a new journalist’s first stories will be discarded until the day he or she gets it right.

Winston Churchill said: “Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”

This means failure is not always bad. Here are three reasons why it actually is a good thing:

1. Motivation – Think back to when you were a child and didn’t manage to ride your bicycle or stay on your skateboard the first time. What did you do? You simply kept going, trying again and again. Every time you fell off, you thought “I am going to get it right this time!” What better inspiration would you need?
2. Humility – Your friends probably laughed, but no-one is perfect. Sometimes we need to be reminded of that! Just imagine a world where everyone always succeeded, thinking they were God’s gift to the world?
3. Learning – Success gives you a good feeling, but failing teaches you a lesson. Remember the first time you tried to hit – or catch – a ball? You were probably too young to remember how you learned to walk, or tried to eat with a knife and fork. Did you get it right the first time? Of course, you didn’t. But did you figure out what you were doing wrong? Maybe not at first, but you kept on making improvements until you managed to swing that bat, ride that bicycle, walk and run and have a civilized dinner…

Failure forces you to rethink and try again, and brings positive change and success to those who are resilient.

Just keep on trying.

Are you?