Celebrating the Success in Failure

Who likes to fail?

I can't ever remember anyone celebrating when something didn't go as they wanted it to. Most of the time, failure is followed by cursing, anger, embarrassment, or sadness. We typically want to move on from failure as quickly and privately as possible, not celebrate or share it!

One of our jobs as educators, mentors, and leaders is to encourage failure, not discourage it. I used to love seeing my students fail at something. Their faces would contort, they'd (temporarily) get angry, and their pride would often take a hit. I'd frequently smile sheepishly to myself in those moments because I knew what was to come next. And what came next was what failure so often teaches- perseverance.

Don't get me wrong; it didn't always happen organically. Remember, no one likes to fail. I had to teach my students that it was not only okay to fail, but it was encouraged in my class. Not the type of failure that comes from a lack of effort; the type of failure that comes from not understanding...YET. Pushing through the hard times almost always resulted in breakthroughs.

Failure is often the harbinger of honest effort. In my class, failure meant the students were pushing the limits of their understanding. I loved it because they'd left their comfort zone to push their boundaries. When the embarrassment and frustration eroded down to curiosity and drive, I knew I had done my job.

However, sometimes failure finds us despite our best efforts. Sometimes, it sneaks up on us when we don't expect it. Failure to provide the right conditions, failure to monitor growth, failure to account for variables, failure to properly secure your testing area—failure can come in various forms. This is the critical time when the distinction between "being a failure" and "failing" must be made. Failing is growing. Failing is learning. Being a failure is choosing not to change in response to failing at something. This is where a good mentor, teacher, or friend can turn the tide and save a situation.

I should have probably used the word adversity instead of failure in this post, but make no mistake: Adversity and failure are often tightly intertwined. Failure hits harder, but it can be just as formative. Learning to pass through failure gracefully and letting it grow you as a person will unlock a whole new experience and help keep some money out of the swear jar!