Failure is a Vehicle for Learning

Failure is a Vehicle for Learning

Have you failed? I have, many times. And I proudly say it because it’s part of my journey. I would feel mediocre if I didn’t have the setbacks I’ve had. Anything I’ve done that has worked happened because I learned from the mistakes of others and my own; not because I followed some “success script”.

Everything you want is on the other side of hard. Anything worth doing will challenge you, and you will fail.

Check this out, here’s a simple formula for being great at anything:

  1. Spend a LOT of time on it. Unreasonable amounts;
  2. Find a teacher who instills a love of excellence and a love of craft;
  3. Constantly seek the feedback of honest critics;
  4. Treat failure as a vehicle for learning;
  5. Do NOT give up.

The point I want to focus on here is #4…

We all fail. Some more than others. And that’s fine. The problem starts when you stop trying. Failure is a vehicle for learning. It is a temporary event, not an identity. People who grow exponentially take it as feedback to learn from the decisions and actions they took; those that truly fail attach themselves to it and let it become their identity.

I know people who are utter failures. Who let their fears and insecurities control their mind and their life. It’s sad, but it’s true. And most nobody wants to talk to these people because what’s there to learn from someone who’s failed at life? You won’t learn a whole lot from people who’ve never failed; don’t be that person.

Fail often. Fail forward. Fail better.