The Role of Failure in Success

Everyone you admire, follow, and respect has faced much worse in life than you know. They just don't tell you about the adversities, backlashes, and setbacks they encountered during their journey to success. And you are so naive to think they have had it all easy, but that's not true. Thomas Edison failed over 1,000 times before inventing the light bulb, and Colonel Harland Sanders' fried chicken recipe was rejected 1,009 times before someone finally accepted it in his 60s.

There are countless examples of people failing, not hundreds but thousands of times, before inventing something significant. But after failure, they didn't give up; instead, they tried their best, came up with something better, and eventually found success in whatever they were trying to do. These examples teach us one thing: there's success after every failure, and every successful personality has faced failure. You don't have to fear failures, as they are not an obstacle in your journey. They are the stepping stones towards success.

If you want to achieve success, you have to face failures, learn from them, improve yourself, and then you will become unstoppable. Read on to learn more about failures, why they are essential, how to keep going after failure, and much more!

What You Don't Know About Failures?

Most people think failure is something they should avoid. But failure isn't a failure. It's usually a lesson that helps you improve and bounce back with a better self. Here are a few more things that you might not know about failures:

• Failure isn't always a bad sign and doesn't mean you are doing something wrong. Sometimes, it means you are pushing your limits, stepping into a new territory, or doing something that matters.
• Failure does not define you; one mistake, or even many, does not make you a failure. What matters most is how you respond after failing: Do you quit or try again?
• Most people hide their failures and only show success, awards, and achievements. But behind every success story, there are rejections, setbacks, and struggles you don’t know about. So, just because you don't see others fail doesn't mean they haven't.
• Failure builds confidence. Does it sound strange to you? It is strange, but it is true! Every time you experience failure and get back up, you prove that you can survive hard things. That builds a deep kind of confidence, which can never be borrowed but earned.
• If you are afraid of failure, keep in mind that playing it safe might keep you from failing, but it also keeps you from growing. So, try hard to win, achieve, and find success in your life, no matter how many rejections, setbacks, and critiques you face.

Why Failure is Essential for Growth?

Without failures, there's no success in academics, career, or personal life. If Thomas Edison had given up, you wouldn't be studying and eating under light but in darkness. So, don't see failures as an obstacle in your journey to success. Instead, treat them as lessons that help you achieve whatever you want to. Here is more you need to know about why failure is essential for growth :

Failure Shows You What Needs Work

Everyone knows no one is perfect, but they still try to pretend like they are the ideal human beings. And when setbacks come their way, they feel disappointed, depressed, and defeated. Remember, you don't grow in your life by getting everything right the first time, but you grow by seeing where you are weak and fixing it.

It Builds Strength and Grit

An easy past cannot make a stronger person. But what brings strength and grit to stronger people? You guessed it right! It's a failure. They test your patience, focus, and willpower. When you get up after failing, you grow tougher, stronger, and more determined.

It Keeps You Humble

As mentioned above, no one is perfect, but a few pretend to be, and that's when they stop learning and being humble. Failure reminds you that you are not perfect, and that's a good thing. Being humble allows you to remain open to learning, receiving feedback, and improving yourself. Pride resists change. Failure invites it.

Every Success Story Has Failures

If you can't see failures in success stories doesn't mean they don't exist. Whenever you dig deep into a success story, you'll see a trail of past failures behind it. Real growth doesn't come from comfort. But it comes from effort, mistakes, and the strength to keep going anyway. So, the next time you see a person succeed, let your eyes see the failures behind them, too.

“Not only failure, but slowing down also plays an important life. Doing nothing also plays an important part in life, and don’t underestimate the power of doing nothing!. How can you be productive if you are exhausted all the time? Doing nothing is better than doing something again because you’ll make mistakes when your mind is tired. Just breathe, take a slow walk, stare at the ceiling, sit without a screen, and wait for someone to arrive without distractions.”

How to Keep Going After Failure?

You can slow down and take time to understand things, but stopping after failure isn't an option. Keep trying, finding new ways to tackle the situation, and moving forward even when things fall apart. Here are some tips to help you keep moving forward even after setbacks and failures:

Accept What Happened

When you were children, you didn't know how to pretend. And that's what you must do now. Don't pretend it didn't hurt or sugar-coat it. Accept the failure and understand that it's a part of the process, not the end. Take your time, but come back stronger!

Learn From Your Failures

As said before, don't treat your failures as failures. Treat them as lessons that will teach you how to succeed. And when you face a failure, ask yourself:

• What went wrong?
• What can I do better next time?

Once you find answers, fix things, improve yourself, and try again because that's what strong people do and what successful people do, and that's what you have to do.

Adjust Your Plan Accordingly

Didn't your first plan work as expected? No worries, try another one that you feel will work better than the previous one. Tweak your strategy, change your approach, and stop repeating the same mistakes. You will get a better result, at least if not success. Keep repeating until you find success.

Surround Yourself With the Right People

Asking someone who has never tried climbing a tree about the supplies you should take while climbing Mount Everest is a recipe for failure or even fatal injuries. Instead, you have to talk to people who have been through it. Get advice, let others encourage you, correct you, or walk with you. Isolation makes failure heavier than it is.

Keep Showing Up Even When You Don't Feel Like

Success doesn't come to those who never fall, but it comes to those who keep standing back up. Discipline and consistency outperform talent when talent does not put in the effort. So, be disciplined, consistent, and determined even when it feels hard, and success will be yours.

How to Use Failure for Success?

Now, you know how to keep going after failures, but what about the failures? You can't forget them, as they are etched deep into your soul. So, what do you do with them? The key is to use them for your success. Wondering how? Read the points below to know:

• Face your failures honestly and find what you did wrong.
• Change your strategy if it isn't working in your favour, but not the dream and goals.
• Use the failures as motivation and make them ignite the fire in you, not shut you down.
• Build mental toughness and become more resilient through failures instead of getting discouraged.

Learn the lesson every failure wants you to and use that knowledge to avoid the same mistake in the future. Keep in mind that failure is not the opposite of success, but it's a part of your journey to success. Use it, learn from it, and let it sharpen your mind. That's how the successful did, and you have to be successful!

On the Final Note

Failure is not an obstacle that can stop you from succeeding in what you are doing. Every successful person faces challenges, setbacks, and failures before they succeed in what they do. However, you don't get to see their failures and setbacks; what you only see are their achievements, awards, and successes. So, when you fail while doing something, don't treat it as a failure. Treat your failures as a lesson that will make you stronger and mentally tougher than before. Let yourself fail, face challenges, and find solutions. Success will be yours!