Succeeding with the Power of Failure

Would you like to be successful throughout the remainder of your life? Would you like to enjoy meaningful success where you learn, grow, and contribute in significant ways; where your life is full, counts for something and makes a difference? If your answer is “yes”, then you must fail. There is no exception to this rule. Significant success requires failure, but failure must be regarded in a whole new light.

Failure is one of the most dreaded words in the English language. The very idea of failing is enough to stop most people in their tracks. It can cause the majority to simply pack up, turn around and retreat without even trying.

Success, on the other hand, is nearly a magical idea for most people. The possibility of succeeding or becoming a “success” is an almost mythical pursuit. People love tobe labeled a success and will often sacrifice greatly to achieve this end.

Although most people hate to be labeled a failure and love to be labeled a success, it is only through seeming failure that most of life’s greatest successes are achieved. Usually, “failure” or “success” is almost entirely in the eye of the beholder.

As an example, who can forget the classical children’s story, “The Ugly Duckling” by Hans Christian Andersen? One of the birds in a community of ducks is singled out for constant ridicule because he is so different from the rest. He is so treated as an utter failure and comes to view himself as exactly that. Consequently, he loses his sense of hope, falls into despair, and runs away from his troubles.

Eventually, the Ugly Duckling learns that his difference is not the curse that he thought it was. In fact, when he finally sees his own reflection in a pond and discovers that he is a magnificent swan, his apparent failure in life is completely transformed.

This story may reflect an essential truth about what we call “failure”. It is very often a misperception about the difference between what exists and goes unnoticed (such as growth and learning when we fall short of reaching a goal) and what is realized later (longer term success).

Failure

Old Definition: A negative, fatal, and final result indicating: a) an inability to perform and a lack of success b) A falling short because of ineptness, deficiency or negligence. c) A bad, bad thing that should be avoided, mourned, and punished.