Our Relationship with Failure

The classic statement “Failure is not an option” is a very dumb cliché that only causes people to play safe avoiding all sort of risks. 

We call it a failure when the outcome of a process or a product is not exactly what we expected.  But there is a phenomenal amount of learning from that unexpected outcome, thus we should not consider it a mistake, instead, it was a necessary step in the learning and growth process.

When we try a new activity, something we’ve never done before, it’s almost impossible to get it right the first time, and if we do, it’s pure luck.  The fact is that there is no growth in playing safe and there is little learning in success. 

Next time, instead of thinking “I failed”, ask yourself “What am I learning  from this situation?” By reframing failure in these positive way, you can transform it from something to be feared into a powerful catalyst for personal and professional growth.

Learn to Fail or Fail to Learn.