Why Failing Is Good For You

3 Reason why you need to fail in order to succeed
Fail=Success
Image Source: Adobe Stock

Everyone is scared to fail. It could feel like the end of the world when you prophesize a future endeavor to ending up as an utter disaster.

We feel embarrassed and ashamed that we couldn't rise to that certain occasion. 

We think to ourselves, "I was better off not even trying."

What if I told you it's just a trick your own self plays on you?

That steady trickle of anxiety when thinking about a challenge being too difficult or complicated spelling failure for you is a defense mechanism that stunts emotional and mental growth.

Becoming unafraid of failure is a challenge itself. Moving that roadblock out of your path means having to share the lane with failure from time to time.

And it's okay

Here are 3 reasons why failing is good for you.

1. You Will Learn Something

Failing Helps You Learn
Image Source: Adobe Stock

One of the biggest benefits of failing is the learning experience. 

At 27, I still have a lot to learn about life. Along the way, I've failed a lot.

But I've also learned so many skills and insights I wouldn't have if I didn't try and fail miserably.

A great part of learning is knowing how something is done wrong as crazy as that sounds. When you do something wrong, the next step is to correct it.

Once you correct skill or behavior, you'll be able to refine it until it's just clockwork for you. 

The more you fail, the more you'll be exposed to collections of wisdom and skillful experience.

2. You Can Bond With People

Team Work Sometimes Fails
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Misery loves company. In the midst of failure, misery swirls around. You can fail in many different ways. More importantly, you can fail individually or collectively.

Teams fail all the time. Despite practice and chemistry within their ranks, teams and groups can take many L's along the way.

It may be because of miscommunication or arrogance. Either way, failure will catch up to any well-oiled machine.

But with failure comes comradery. 

I've been a part of many different teams, groups, and collectives in my time. While I've seen my fair share of collective success, I've seen plenty more failures.

When hit with these tough times, the group you're a part of experiences the pain together, which can forge a strong bond and friendships along the way.

3. Failing is More Admirable Than you Think

A lot of the fear surrounding failure is the social backlash or embarrassment one might face at the other end of imperfection. 

Many picture relentless criticism and laughs at their own expense. Disappointment is felt not only by the person who fails but potentially loved ones who will express their own.

Depending on what challenges or obstacles you can't overcome, people might admire a valiant effort.

In 2018, the show Master Chef was hosting tryouts all around the country for their upcoming season. One of their stops was in my city.

Being a cook who is passionate about making great meals, I decided to fill out an application and give the 'ole college try. 

I made my signature omelet and hash browns plate that was popular at the diner I worked at.

I spent two weeks prior to the tryouts perfecting my homemade chorizo sausage recipe. I made the omelet for my roommates as much as I could before the big day.

The day of, I made the omelet plate effortlessly. It looked beautiful and I was ready to face this tryout head-on.

The taste testing was a tense moment.

30 of us set up our signature plates in 3 minutes. Chefs would go around and test the dishes and give them scores. The chef who was testing my plate began to ask me about it.

We chatted for a while about working in diners, as she too got her start in them. 

While we were talking I peeked at her score sheet to see what I was receiving.

I got a 5 out of 5 on every score besides one and that was a 4!

I was feeling pretty confident. And sure enough, they called my number.

I made it to the next round.

The next step was talking to the producers. I imagine they look for BIG personalities with a story to tug at heartstrings.

I don't like to talk about myself, so I was fairly reserved at this part. 

I did not receive an invitation for the tryouts in LA, unfortunately. I was okay with it though! I had nothing to lose, and it gave me great confidence in my cooking.

Everyone I told was excited to hear about my experience. Even though I didn't make it, people supported me well past the tryout.

Fail Upwards

It may not seem like it when it happens, but when you fail you move up.

When you fail, your name begins to be etched in history. When you refuse to take risks because of fear of failure, you negate your mark on time.

Once the act of failing fails to hinder you, only then will you be able to grow and succeed.

Good luck failing!

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Opinions and Perspectives

ElleryJ commented ElleryJ 3 years ago

Fascinating how failure can both destroy and strengthen relationships.

4
GlitchDreamX commented GlitchDreamX 3 years ago

Sometimes failure is just the universe's way of pointing you in a better direction.

8
CelestialPulse commented CelestialPulse 3 years ago

Making failure less taboo could lead to more innovation and risk-taking.

2
GabriellaK commented GabriellaK 3 years ago

Never thought about how failure can create stronger bonds with others.

5

The part about failure being a defense mechanism really struck me.

7
JoyfulJourney commented JoyfulJourney 3 years ago

Would have liked more practical tips for bouncing back from failure.

8
KyleP commented KyleP 3 years ago

I'm sharing this with my team. We need this perspective right now.

1
HollyWalters commented HollyWalters 3 years ago

It's true that failure teaches you what doesn't work, which is valuable information.

6

The article helped me reframe some of my past failures more positively.

4
ColeLaughs commented ColeLaughs 3 years ago

This reminded me to be more supportive when others fail.

1

My biggest innovations came after my biggest failures.

7
Arielle_Lux commented Arielle_Lux 3 years ago

Helpful perspective but some failures have real consequences we shouldn't minimize.

0
Julia_21 commented Julia_21 3 years ago

The diner cook story shows how even unsuccessful attempts can boost confidence.

7
CassiaJ commented CassiaJ 3 years ago

This gave me courage to try something I've been putting off due to fear.

2
MayaVibes commented MayaVibes 3 years ago

Interesting how failure can both break and strengthen relationships.

1

Really connected with the part about team failure building stronger bonds.

2
Faith99 commented Faith99 3 years ago

Love the message but some failures really do set you back. It's not always up and up.

6
NovaBurst commented NovaBurst 3 years ago

The anxiety description is spot on. That fear of failure can be paralyzing.

6
MysticHacker commented MysticHacker 3 years ago

Wonder if there's a sweet spot between too much and too little failure for optimal growth.

6
IvyMoonlight commented IvyMoonlight 3 years ago

Good point about failing upwards. Each failure gets you closer to success if you learn from it.

7
KimberlyGray commented KimberlyGray 3 years ago

The article could have explored the relationship between failure and innovation more.

8
Rose_Review commented Rose_Review 3 years ago

I've learned more from my cooking disasters than my successes just like the MasterChef story!

1
HollySweets commented HollySweets 3 years ago

Totally agree about failure being admirable. It shows you're pushing your boundaries.

0
CelestialNomadX commented CelestialNomadX 3 years ago

The key is learning to fail fast and adapt quickly.

2
HazelHarrison commented HazelHarrison 3 years ago

Reading this made me feel better about my recent job interview flop.

1
Lumi_Blossom commented Lumi_Blossom 3 years ago

Never thought about failure as a bonding experience before. Interesting perspective.

1
RubyM commented RubyM 3 years ago

I wish schools taught this perspective on failure. Might help with student anxiety.

2
Hailey-Walton commented Hailey-Walton 3 years ago

The part about teams failing together reminds me of my startup experience. We failed but remained friends.

3
DystopianDreams commented DystopianDreams 3 years ago

Sometimes what we see as failure is just a redirect to something better.

2
MavisJ commented MavisJ 3 years ago

I love how the article emphasizes personal growth through failure rather than just success stories.

8
CyberMystic commented CyberMystic 3 years ago

Anyone else feel like social media makes failure even scarier? Everything feels so public now.

1

The learning experience point is crucial. Every failure is a data point for future success.

3

Great article but I think it glosses over how devastating some failures can be, especially financial ones.

4
Colton commented Colton 3 years ago

I've started keeping a failure journal. Sounds depressing but it helps me track lessons learned.

6
VesperH commented VesperH 3 years ago

True about the team bonding. Nothing brings people together like overcoming a shared failure.

0
LeahH commented LeahH 3 years ago

The article could have mentioned how failure builds empathy. I'm much more understanding of others' struggles now.

5

Failing taught me resilience. Now I bounce back much faster from setbacks.

2
Russert_Roundup commented Russert_Roundup 3 years ago

I wonder if different cultures view failure differently. In some places it's more stigmatized than others.

8
NightfallHunter commented NightfallHunter 3 years ago

That MasterChef experience sounds amazing! Even getting that far is a huge achievement.

3
WilliamAnderson commented WilliamAnderson 3 years ago

The social aspect of failure is interesting. I've found people are usually more supportive than we expect.

3
Daisy-Ferguson commented Daisy-Ferguson 3 years ago

My company actually celebrates failures now we call them learning opportunities. Sounds cheesy but it's changed our culture.

8
Diana_Flame commented Diana_Flame 3 years ago

I appreciate how the article acknowledges both individual and collective failure experiences.

3
Page_Perspective commented Page_Perspective 3 years ago

The article makes a good point about failure being part of the growth process. Can't make an omelet without breaking eggs!

8
LailaJ commented LailaJ 3 years ago

Learning from failure is great but let's not romanticize it too much. Some failures just plain stink.

4
Belloni_Blog commented Belloni_Blog 3 years ago

Anyone else notice how the most successful people often have the most impressive failure stories?

7
HyperDriveX commented HyperDriveX 3 years ago

The anxiety part really hit home. I've passed up so many opportunities because I was paralyzed by fear of failure.

4
MeditationMaven commented MeditationMaven 3 years ago

This reminds me of that famous Michael Jordan quote about failing his way to success.

5
Hayes_Herald commented Hayes_Herald 3 years ago

I find it fascinating how failure in a team setting can either bring people closer or tear them apart. It really depends on the leadership.

4
Vanessa_Weaver commented Vanessa_Weaver 3 years ago

The chorizo sausage story made me hungry! But seriously, it shows how putting yourself out there can lead to unexpected positive outcomes.

5
Farhi_Feature commented Farhi_Feature 3 years ago

Sometimes I feel like articles like this oversimplify failure. Not every failure leads to growth or learning.

4
KiaraJ commented KiaraJ 3 years ago

I actually met my mentor through a failed project. She saw potential in how I handled the setback.

2
Daphne_Wave commented Daphne_Wave 3 years ago

The part about bonding through failure reminds me of my college study group. We failed our first big exam together but ended up becoming best friends.

3
KennedyM commented KennedyM 3 years ago

Great article but I wish they'd included more practical strategies for overcoming fear of failure.

1
MeganMoves commented MeganMoves 3 years ago

To the person worried about repeated failure, I think it depends on how you frame it. Each failure is data for future success.

7

Not sure I buy into the fail upwards mentality. Some failures can set you back significantly.

3
ZariahH commented ZariahH 3 years ago

The point about learning from mistakes is spot on. I learned more from my failed business than I ever did in business school.

5
ZeroExistence commented ZeroExistence 3 years ago

Interesting how they mention team failures building comradery. I've experienced this firsthand in sports.

2
Rosalie_Shine commented Rosalie_Shine 4 years ago

I disagree somewhat. While failing can teach lessons, repeated failure can seriously damage your confidence and career prospects.

8
Benjamin-Elliot commented Benjamin-Elliot 4 years ago

The MasterChef story was inspiring! Even though they didn't make it to LA, just having the courage to try is amazing.

1
Sophia-Grace commented Sophia-Grace 4 years ago

My biggest regrets aren't the times I failed, but the times I was too scared to even try.

5

Love the part about failing being admirable. It takes guts to put yourself out there and try something new.

2

This article really resonates with me. I've always been terrified of failure but looking back, my biggest growth moments came from my failures.

8

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