Fail for Success

A common reason people do not achieve the success they desire in their lives and career is due to the fear of failing. This fear paralyzes individuals from achieving goals and pursuing their passion and purpose. In essence, the fear of failure prevents fulfillment.

Everyone endures trials on life’s journey. Failure is inevitable. Consider the path of Oprah Winfrey. In the beginning of her career, Oprah was fired from a television reporting job because they didn’t think she was right for TV. This gave her the freedom to discover other opportunities. J.K. Rowling was an unemployed, divorced, single mother living on social security benefits when she wrote the first Harry Potter novel. Today, both women are billionaires. Their failures became springboards to success.

An old English Proverb reminds us that a smooth sea never made a skillful sailor. Failure provides information needed to pursue a new direction, a new way of doing things or insight to think differently. Here are three ways to benefit from failure:

1. Failure leads to tenacity. When Spike Lee couldn’t secure production support for his first film, “She’s Got to Have It “ and others told him it couldn’t be done, Lee maxed out his credit cards and borrowed money from friends and family to finance the film. The film cost $175,000 but earned $7 million at the box office launching his career and enabling him to start his own production company. Failure to secure traditional financing did not deter Lee from achievement. He didn’t give up but instead Lee let his drive fuel dreams of becoming a successful film maker, actor and producer.

2. Failure exposes weaknesses. Understanding your weaknesses provides two opportunities – develop or defer. You may choose to work on strengthening your capabilities in an area of weakness or choose to acquire support by having others manage those tasks. It’s important to know what you don’t know and make a decision that will best support you moving forward.

3. Failure improves your vision. Identifying and assessing what can truly be achieved is clearer after failure. Failure makes you more realistic about goals. Therefore you are able to focus on activities and opportunities based on your resources and abilities. Overall, more informed decision making to pursue goals better, smarter and faster is enabled through the lens of failure!

On the road to success be sure to LEARN along the way and ENJOY the journey even when it’s filled with detours. Don’t be afraid to fall down – just be sure you get up. And look where you slipped not where you landed.