In today’s society, we try to live without making any mistakes. We are told that we have to be perfect because then we will be accepted. If we never mess up, then we will be appreciated by our professors, friends, and coworkers. If we never mess up, then our bosses will be happy and we can get a raise. We live under so much pressure that we never want to make any mistakes. We are afraid of not being good enough.
I fall into the same trap. I’m so worried of making mistakes that I don’t try new things. The problem is that fear of failure holds us back from becoming successful.
Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure means you are trying. Failure shows that you are working to become better. Failure means that you are pushing the boundaries.
Today, failure is often discouraged instead of encouraged. I want you to fail. I want you to try new things. I want you to be uncomfortable. If you try something and fail, you are going to be in the same position as if you didn’t try at all.
Gentlemen, if you ask that beautiful girl out on a date and she says no, you will still be in the same position as if you didn’t ask her out at all: not dating her. Sure, she could say no. But she could say yes also. You won’t know unless you try.
If you apply for a job and you get denied, you are still in the same position as if you didn’t apply at all. You won’t get the job offer unless you try.
The people you read about in books didn’t become well known by living perfect lives and never making mistakes. They took chances, failed, and learned from their mistakes. They failed enough times that they finally figured out something that worked. The people you look to for advice didn’t gain their wisdom by sitting around all day and sipping tea. They tried new things, failed here and there, and now have lessons to share.
If you lead a team or own a company someday. Develop an environment where failure is admired. You will see your followers pushing boundaries. They won’t be afraid of letting you down because they know you will accept them in their failures. Your culture and follower morale will improve. You will find success because they are trying new things. Failure is the birthplace of innovation.
The fear of failing never goes away as you get older. You just learn how to tackle it. The challenges you face only get bigger. Practice overcoming the fear now because you are going to need it even more in the future.
Take chances. Fail. Get back up and try again. You learn more from failure than you do from success.
Make a sum: add to the lives of those around you, don’t take away from them.
-JP