Failure
An unavoidable occurrence we all have in common in life is failure. You have inevitably failed at some point in your life. Failing or not achieving is directly related to the success of a task or event; you can fail at something as simple as cooking or as complex as a team sporting event, such as a football match.
Failures make you stronger because they encourage you to recognize which areas need improvement. As you get closer to your goal, this makes you stronger. Self-reflection, admitting the truth, and learning from your failures are things you can do to emerge stronger.
You can fail as both an individual or a team member, and usually, you know when you have. Becoming stronger from failure is more than just accepting what you have; you must learn why. This can be done using a technique known as self-reflection.
Self Reflection
The real secret to becoming stronger from failure is through the power of learning and reflection. Take five minutes to look back at previous shortcomings in your life, big and small, and ask yourself why. How did the outcome lead to failure? Why did you fail? Run back through the chain of events step by step and be honest with yourself; the answers will come.
It’s important when you reflect to keep the reflection personal to your journey; as humans, we are quickly drawn to the stories and paths of those that have achieved. This is okay in moderation, but you shouldn’t let it cloud what happened on your path when you reflect. For example, you may have failed an exam, and all of your friends passed. Only focusing on your friend’s passing will not aid your reflection. Understanding how they passed and what they did differently to you will, but first, you must ask yourself why you did not.
Your reflection may reveal failure occurred due to inadequate study or that you were distracted on the exam day due to outside factors not allowing you to relax. You must understand the reasons why so you can avoid making similar mistakes in the future or at the very least put your mind at ease.
Admitting The Truth
In most cases, we know why we fail. Openly admitting a failure occurred is something humans find very difficult. For many reasons, admitting defeat can seem like a backward step, almost like a degenerative ingredient to the soul; it can be humiliating in front of others and make you feel terrible.
Most people try to avoid admitting failure because of the feelings and memories they have to experience when remembering. They’d prefer not to relive the experiences and keep them locked away in a far-to-reach area of the mind.
This is the most common approach when dealing with failure, and it works, but it will not let you grow, learn, and understand how to avoid making future mistakes. Admitting the truth to yourself and others is difficult. It takes time and the correct mindset.
Learning From Failure
So, how can failure lead to success? If you treat failure as a learning experience rather than a defeat, you will see the outcome differently; “Achieve or learn” is a common saying among successful people. Sport stars worldwide experience failure on a global public level but return to try again. Put yourself in the shoes of your favorite sportsman or woman, be it a football star or a world-class runner; they have all experienced failure and bounced back to try again.
If you look at them all collectively, you will find they all have a common attribute; they have learned from failure. Take Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably one of the greatest footballers to ever walk on Earth. He is a fanatic goalscorer with record after record and numerous trophies. It may seem like he is consistently winning; he always succeeds and never fails. In fact, he has experienced setback after setback and has been knocked out of club competitions and tournaments numerous times.
One of his superpowers is learning from those experiences and using the newfound knowledge to his advantage, preparing him better for the next game. No matter how big or small your failures have been, try reflecting and learning from them.
Coming Back Stronger
Facing your fears and the things that make you unhappy or require you to rethink your goals will strengthen you. You’ll confront challenges you didn’t expect, so the stronger you are, the more likely you will overcome them.
How you deal with failure will reveal your strength. Pick yourself up and return more vigorously with a life plan that will have everyone wondering where you got your strength.
Success
One of the greatest feelings is to succeed after failing multiple times. It demonstrates resilience and a willingness to continue despite many setbacks. It also builds your self-esteem and gives you confidence. Self-reflection is the key to turning your failures into positives. Start seeing the outcome of your activities differently, “Achieve or Learn.”
Final Thoughts
Failure is okay. While failure could be a blessing in disguise, your desire for a better life can easily be overwhelmed by your fear of failure. However, your best moments are likely to occur when you feel uncomfortable and unfulfilled.
Examine the objectives you intend to attain. It could be anything from gaining more money to starting a business, then ask yourself, “Why haven’t I done this yet?”. Is fear preventing you from moving forward? If that’s the case, how can you deal with the unpleasant feelings of a setback? Can you explain why you want to achieve this objective to inspire yourself?
When you find the answers to these questions, you will be on the path of learning from your failures and gaining more strength to tackle life.
