The Positive Side Of Failure

Growing up in my sometimes blissful childhood, I always heard of the silver lining on every dark cloud. That has allowed me to see good in nearly every situation, even one hailed as a failure by myself and/or onlookers. “What can be the good in failure?” you may ask. Growth!

If we allow ourselves the right to fail we can learn from our mistakes, enhance and enlarge our perspectives and even discover things that we did not know about ourselves, friends, family and associates and even the world around us.

This may call for a perspective change but we can grow as a result of the failures in our lives. However, we need to change the way that we view it.

1. We need to realise that because we failed at something that does not mean we are failures. At times we think that to fail is not only a stain on our reputation but on our character as well. I say that it is not. What it shows is that we are brave enough to try.

2. We need to be open to change. We don’t want to fail because in our minds how we are operating is good enough. To try and fail we may learn that we need to change our way of doing things even if we are comfortable with the way things are.

You may feel safe not trying because at least you did not fail. But be inspired to persevere past your perceived failures by these names that you may only associate with success:

Sydney Poitier was told that he would never make it as an actor during his first audition but instead of giving up he honed his skills, eventually becoming an Oscar winner.

Albert Einstein’s application to Polytechnic was rejected as he was expelled from school. He went on to change the face of physics and win a Nobel Peace Prize.

Winston Churchill was defeated in every election for public office until he finally became the Prime Minister and then he was elected twice.

Abraham Lincoln failed at war – he was demoted from captain to private – but is remembered as one of the most revered presidents of the USA.

Oprah Winfrey was fired for being “unsuitable” for TV. Need I say more?

Don’t rob yourself by giving up before you achieve your success. Can you imagine what the world would be like if these names had given up too quickly?