Failure vs Success

Failure is part of the process of learning

There’s an old saying that “the only way to fail is not to try at all”. At first glance, this might seem too simplistic or even a bit irritating. After all, we can’t all be pro athletes and knowing we really shouldn’t attempt something isn’t the same as failing is it? While this is absolutely true what this saying means, at its core, is that success doesn’t always come easily.

Failure isn’t something to be embarrassed about when it’s part of the process of success! It can be all too easy to throw in the towel when we meet with difficulties either in our professional or personal lives but let’s face it, without multiple ‘failings’ in life, we wouldn’t be where we are now.

When has failure helped you to succeed?

Here’s an example that can help to explain the reasoning behind why failure is a part of success rather than its opposite, toddlers who are learning to walk will fall down countless times.

There’s nothing unusual about this and if every parent decided that after a few months of trying their child was clearly incapable of staying upright we’d be living in a very different world. Now while it’s fair to say we don’t really remember this stage in our lives, one thing that can stick in our minds from our childhood days is the joy of a well-earned achievement.

We can all remember the pride and the satisfaction of being able to read a book by ourselves for the first time or finally being able to ride a bike without training wheels. But what about all the mistakes up until then?

These fade from our minds because we have finally learned all that we can from them. The failures we had paved the way for our eventual success!

Driving tests!

It can be quite easy to dismiss childhood milestones as being necessary back then, and maybe not relevant to you now. But how about more recent experiences you may have had? One study in the U.K suggests that only 49% of people pass their driving test first time around.

Meaning that more than half have to take it a second or even a third time. The only way to truly grow your experience is to go out and try. Learn, fail and improve your skills so eventually we achieve the success that we have been aiming for. You may not land your ideal job the first time around, but the skills you learn along the way can pave the road for your future success on your career path.  

A failed business venture is part of a journey and the path to success. Without the experience and knowledge gained through this undertaking, you would be less likely to find success in the future. The fact that you attempted to fulfill your dream is commendable, regardless of the outcome. So many are afraid to take the risk and go after their dreams. If you are passionate enough about your pursuits your recent failure should only be a small stumbling point in realizing your goals.

Being able to see failure as a part of success rather than its antithesis is a fantastic life skill. Whether you are branching out into a new field or wish to become an industry leader in your area, we can all learn from failure. It shouldn’t be shied away from.

 At Fresh Perspective we always try to improve our business and client satisfaction levels based on the feedback we receive; this is part of what sets us apart and makes us so good at delivering on what we promise.

What have been your most hard-won successes?

Did the journey to success make it all the more meaningful in the end?

We would love to hear from you about your experiences and thoughts on this topic!

Have a fantastic and productive week!

The Fresh Perspective Team x