Have you ever tried something and failed miserably? When I was little, I signed up for softball and enjoyed it for the most part. When I moved up a level to 10 and under, things got a little more serious and I realized I was not cut out for this sport. One day during practice, my coach tried to teach me to extend my arms out in front of me and slide across the ground to catch a fly ball. I quit the team before the next practice. As it turns out, failure is a good thing. Let’s dive in and figure out why.
So many people I talk to have goals that they are not accomplishing because of fear. Fear is a topic in and of itself, but today I want to talk about the fear of failure.
The word failure has a negative connotation, and it’s about time we flip the script. Mindset is everything when it comes to achieving your goals. You will be surprised at how powerful your mind is once you learn how to use it to your benefit.
There are tons of stories from people throughout history who experienced major success after battling their way through many failed attempts. Just think of where we would be today if Thomas Edison hadn’t seen the light.
Edison was told by many of his teachers that he was unable to learn. Other famous achievers, like Oprah and Walt Disney, were also told they weren’t good enough before going on to create empires of undeniable success.
Failure is an opportunity for growth and, if handled the right way, often leads to something better than we could have ever imagined.
Eight Reasons Failure is a Good Thing
Just think of what you could do with your life if you could get over your fear of failure. Below we will examine eight reasons that show why failure is a good thing.
1 // You learn what you like
Do you want to know what happened between the moment my softball coach asked me to slide on the ground to catch a ball and the moment I quit the team? I learned that I don’t like softball.
Failure is a good thing because it allows you to get to know yourself better by discovering your likes and dislikes. If I loved softball, I would have stayed on the team and figured out how to improve my skills.
Acknowledging that I wasn’t at all interested in improving as a softball player gave me the freedom to stop playing the sport and move on without regret.
2 // You get a second chance
When something doesn’t work out, it is usually time to stop what you are doing and evaluate where you are going. Failure gives you a second chance to figure things out.
Sometimes you can’t see the opportunities that are right in front of you because you are focused on the wrong thing. If you are putting too much energy into something that is not working, you might miss out on something even better.
Your life will not always go as planned. When plans fail, it opens the door for things you may not have considered otherwise.
3 // You grow stronger
Failure creates resolve. There is strength in adversity as long as you don’t take on a victim mentality. You have to believe that your life is happening for you, not to you.
Bad things happen and circumstances change. This is either the result of your actions or the result of things you cannot control. If you take it for what it is and accept that the only thing you can control is your reaction, you will be in such good shape.
Allow failure to mold you into a better person with thicker skin. Do not take things personally. If you let it, failure can give you the ability to face disappointment with ease so it doesn’t complete derail your life.
4 // You get comfortable with change
People hate change, but change is inevitable and at times necessary. If someone is set in their ways, failure might be the only way to convince that person to change course.
Failure is a good thing because it causes you to become adaptable. This is a great quality to have in life and business. Once you get used to the fact that things change, it will become almost seamless to shift into a new direction.
When you can handle change without getting rattled, you become valuable to everyone including yourself. Embracing change with grace is incredibly powerful.
5 // You discover answers to your problems
If everything goes exactly how you think it should, you would never develop the skill of problem-solving. Going all in on something that doesn’t work leaves you no choice but to find what will work.
This is especially true for passion projects and goals that hold deep meaning and importance. If you fail at something while at the same time realizing you didn’t like it anyway, you learn from it and move on.
If you fail at something that is super important to you, you will stop at nothing to figure out how to make it work. Passion produces an unstoppable drive to solve problems and figure things out.
Click here to learn how to find your passion and set goals that matter.
6 // You become more resourceful
Have you ever failed at managing your money? I use this example because I would venture to guess that we have all mismanaged our money at some point.
What did you do when you realized you had a problem managing money? You probably stopped spending, looked for ways to save more or earn more, and started budgeting. You also might have purchased a couple of personal finance books or read a few blog posts to increase your money management knowledge.
This is a perfect illustration of failure causing you to become more resourceful. Failure is a good thing because it takes the skill of problem-solving one step further by boosting your ability to get creative in how you solve your problems.
7 // You conquer your fear
This is a big one, you guys. Fear is sneaky and powerful. It keeps a LOT of you from achieving your goals. But fear is a liar.
Would you believe me if I told you failure can actually help you conquer your fear? Yes, failure – one of the things that fuel your fear – can, in fact, eradicate fear.
The fear of failure keeps so many people from taking the first step toward their goals. I know this because I have personal experience, and because you guys tell me this all the time.
Getting started is the hardest part. There’s so much at stake… until you realize there’s not. Taking the first step toward your goals teaches you to face your fear.
And when you do fail {because you will at some point}, you will realize it’s not as scary as you thought. You will get through it, and you will come out better on the other side.
8 // You appreciate your success
Success is so much sweeter to those who have tasted the bitterness of failure. Yes, failure is a good thing because it endows you with the qualities listed above. Growth, however, is painful at times.
When you go through a trial that seems bigger than yourself, it will seem easy to give up and walk away. If the dream is big enough, and the end result is important enough, your heart will not let you do that.
As the fire refines you and you face failure head-on one day at a time, you will realize that it becomes more bearable. Notice I said bearable, not comfortable or enjoyable.
Picking up the pieces and putting them back together will give you a sense of resolve that cannot be replaced. You will, in turn, be so much more grateful for the success that comes afterward.
Now it’s your turn
Do you still feel complacent about letting your fear of failure keep you from achieving your goals? Let’s review the eight reasons that failure is a good thing:
- You learn what you like
- You get a second chance
- You grow stronger
- You get comfortable with change
- You discover answers to your problems
- You become more resourceful
- You conquer your fear
- You appreciate success
Great post! Fear is one thing I’m working to overcome. This was right on time.
I’m so glad this blessed you, Rachel. Have a great day!