The Role of Failure in Success

Does the thought of failure send a cold shiver down your spine? Failure is the thing most of us spend the greatest amount of energy trying to avoid. What is failure?

In reality, when you strip away all the emotions attached to the word, failure is only feedback. Failure means that we tried a strategy and it did not work. So what should we do? It's simple. We should try something else.

Human beings learn by failure, by understanding what does not work, and by continuing to adjust their strategies until they find out what does work. As young children, we were very familiar with "failure" when we were trying to learn how to walk. How many of us decided one day "Gee, the walking that those adults do looks pretty interesting. I think I'll do it too." and then we got up without a hitch and started walking. Hardly. All of us made countless attempts trying find out what to do so we could walk without constantly falling down. As we were learning to walk, we received constant support and praise from the adults in our lives to keep on trying.

Then somewhere down the line we were taught not to take risks, to play it safe, to only do what we knew would bring us success. We have been taught that if we try something and it does not work out as we planned, some terrible event will occur. People will point to us and say, "Look at him. He tried to do _______, but he failed." Oh the shame. So most people will play it safe and never strive to reach their full potential because they might (gasp) fail.

It is true that when we strive to do something that is new for us, we might fail. As a matter of fact, we might fail many times, but only by risking failure will we ever be able to grow. People might also remind us of our failures and tell us they knew it would not work. These people never fail because they never try to accomplish anything with their lives. If you are failing, at least you are doing something.

If you are failing, you are in great company. Most of the super achievers in history failed more often than anyone else. The difference is that they did not let the failure (or the negative comments from others) defeat them. They just continued to modify their strategies until they found what worked. They did not quit. They knew what they wanted and they did not give up until they achieved their goal. When Thomas Edison was attempting to discover the light bulb he was not met with much support from the scientific community. As a matter of fact, they thought he was crazy to try to invent something that was clearly impossible. A young reporter interviewed Edison and asked him, "Mr. Edison, how can you continue to try to invent the light bulb when you have failed over 5,000 times." To which Thomas Edison replied, "Young man, I have not failed 5,000 times. I have successfully discovered 5,000 ways that do not work and I do not need to try them again." This is a great way to interpret failure -- as a learning experience.

A powerful way to deal with failure is to ask yourself "What is or could be positive in this situation?" This allows you to obtain some benefit from the experience and then to move on. Very often, we achieve our greatest success right after we have experienced our worst defeat. Nathaniel Hawthorne was a published writer, although he had never achieved remarkable success in the field. Then in 1849, a turning point occurred in his life -- he lost his full time job. He dedicated the following year to writin The Scarlett Letter which became a classic novel in American Literature. Hawthorne turned a defeat into success.

The bottom line is that we should embrace "failure." Because if we are failing, we are learning; and if we are learning, we are growing. And growing is really what life is all about.

Della Menechella is a speaker, author, and trainer who helps organizations achieve greater success by improving the performance of their people. She is a contributing author to Thriving in the Midst of Change and the author of the videotape The Twelve Commandments of Goal Setting. She can be reached at della@dellamenechella.com. Subscribe to free Peak Performance Pointers e-zine - send blank e-mail to della@dellamenechella.com.

Wood Dale Chicago prom limo .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

Fueled by artificial intelligence, CyberDog the robotic dog is designed specifically locate fire ant nests, which are endangering ecosystems.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents
Internet browsers are useful, but they can be dangerous. Clicking on malicious links can direct you to dangerous websites that steal information or infect your device.
Apple's latest iOS update introduces advanced artificial intelligence capabilities, which may be capturing and analyzing sensitive information.
Breach site confirmed 56,904,909 Hot Topic users' data leaked online. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the company's silence makes matters even worse.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how an innovative Easy-Way kit turns standard strollers electric, simplifying navigation for parents.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about T-Mobile being hacked in broad cyberattack on global phone and internet companies.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson shows you how to add, customize and manage widgets for quick access to apps and info from your iPhone home screen.
Wrong Google searches can not only compromise your device and personal data. They can also bring law enforcement to your doorstep. Hackers are targeting Google searches.
China's Shanghai Kepler Robotics has developed a new humanoid robot that can carry up to 35 pounds per hand for commercial applications across various industries
Checking your hearing has gotten easier with the new hearing test feature in AirPods Pro 2. You can take reliable hearing tests using your iPhone or iPad.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how a VPN — virtual private network — works and how running it can slow down the operation of your device.
The WalkON Suit F1, an exoskeleton developed to help people with disabilities, can actually walk over to a person in a wheelchair, solving a major problem.
ClickFix, a new scam targeting computer users, is on the rise in the U.S. The scam prompts its targets to click on a link to fix a problem.
Skydweller is the world's largest unmanned solar-powered aircraft that can stay airborne for weeks, and even months, without refueling.
The U.S. government said it is investigating after People's Republic of China hackers targeted commercial telecommunications service providers in the U.S.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated ways to lure unsuspecting victims, and some are impersonating an email help desk or support team.
You can unsend or edit your iMessages with the latest iOS updates. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how you can save yourself some potential embarrassment.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says there’s been a rise in cybercriminal services using hacked police and government emails to send subpoenas and data requests to U.S. companies.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how Axiom Space and luxury designer Prada are collaborating on NASA's Artemis III spacesuit design.
Voice assistants may cause confusion across devices. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers some solutions to fix it.
Shameless scammers trick veterans into giving personal info or cash. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explores five common scams.

The S.W.P.D. Recipe for Success

A wonderful quote by author and scholar William A. Ward... Read More

Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

I do! I want to be a millionaire! Do you?Judging... Read More

Success: What Are You Afraid Of?

What are your fears? Fear of failure? Fear of success?What... Read More

Blessing The Money You Spend

A young girl opens a birthday card from her grand... Read More

Are You Afraid of Success?

You may not realise it yet but you may have... Read More

Plan On Opposition to Your New Ideas. It?s Normal!

Lets face it, no one enjoys rejection. But the reality... Read More

Hows Work Going?

Think how often you see a friend or an acquaintance... Read More

Bill Gates: Why He is the Richest Man in the World

Bill is a man for the people, of the people... Read More

Why Balancing Your Polarity Can Make Life Better

Driven by cultural imperatives and inner promptings, we drive ourselves... Read More

Enroll in Car College - Learn Whilst Youre On The Move

One of the most overlooked opportunities for learning and personal... Read More

10 Compelling Reasons to Stop Singing the Blues

Are you:- feeling unfulfilled and dissatisfied with your life?- ready... Read More

Failures: 2 Types 7 Reasons

We experience failure directly or indirectly. Here we will come... Read More

What is Optimum Performance?

What is Optimum Performance? This question raises different responses from... Read More

Helpful Tips to Overcome Procrastination

Many among us, on many instances, have the habit of... Read More

Super Success ?- Reach Out and Take It

This is a little primer on how to start, survive... Read More

Universal Success Secrets Shared

Are there any universal laws that most successful people seem... Read More

I am my Fathers Daughter-An Optimists Viewpoint

One of the greatest compliments I ever received in my... Read More

Be Successful : Take Back Control of Your Life

What would happen if you lived your life by design... Read More

Success Through Discipline - The Rewards Of Discipline

Many of the problems we have with discipline are caused... Read More

7.9 Things I Learned About Success From Darth Vader

Unless you have been living in a cave, you have... Read More

Create Your Future Through Visualization

The best way to predict your future is to create... Read More

Reach Your Goals - Step Into Your Own Truth

Create a truth and step into it There is a... Read More

Parable for a New Age

Daddy was a very, very odd little man-possibly a schizophrenic-for... Read More

Two Great Success Tips - Read And Apply What You Learn And Do It Now!

Today I was glad that I had bothered to read... Read More

Can You Think Your Way To Riches?

I am going to tell you something you already know... Read More

Antigo wedding limo ..