Failure is Not a Bad Thing

How would you know what success feels like or even looks like if you don't fail? I think a lot of the time, we are told that failing is wrong and if you fail, you've done something wrong, but in fact, failing is okay. Using your failures as fuel to push you forward is a good thing; when you fail at something and don't continue, this is when good turns bad. When I was younger, I applied to an honor society in the school I was attending, wrote an essay that dropped jaws and turned heads, put my best foot forward in the interviewing stage, and when the decisions were being made, I got the small envelope. At the time, all I could tell myself was, "you're a failure" "Why did I even apply." I couldn't stop thinking about how I wouldn't get to where I want to in life because of this one incident.

Later on, I was given another opportunity, this time to colleges. I was nervous that I wasn't good enough and I'd fail to meet everyone else's expectations for my life. This time, I wrote my personal statements. I had various people proofread it, I worked on my grades, and I did everything to prove to myself and the admissions representatives that I was capable of entering the school. A few months later, in the mail, the big envelope was delivered. As much as I wanted to, I didn't let the "failure" of not getting into the honor society stop me from reaching the goals I had set. Though I wasn't extended an offer, I used their feedback to enhance my future applications to similar opportunities. When failure is accepted, there is no growth or progress. One becomes stagnant. Failure is not a bad thing when it is not accepted. It pushes us to be better and to do better. So, if you fail at something, know that failure is just the beginning of success.

Have you ever heard of a success story without failure?

“Failure is a great teacher and, if you are open to it, every mistake has a lesson to offer." Oprah Winfrey