My whole life I've been afraid of failing. Growing up, failing never seemed like an option. As my parent's only child, I lived to make them proud. If there was one thing I feared more than failing, it was my parents being disappointed in me. More often than not, I was cautious. I didn't do things that were uncomfortable. If there was potential for me to not be successful, I shied away. Most people brushed me off as shy. I was not and still am not shy. I am, however, scared.

A couple of weeks ago, one of my instructors gave the class a mini-lecture on failure. His whole premise was that if you weren't failing, if you weren't challenged, you weren't growing. That resonated deeply with me. As someone who cares quite a bit about success and maintaining a positive image, it forced me to reflect on myself. Like most people, I enjoy comfort. I enjoy looking like I have it all together. Upon introspection, I realize that the things that pushed me the most were the things that make me who I am.

I danced for 12 years. They were the best 12 years of my life, but by no means were they the easiest. In dance when someone falls, you applaud them. It always seemed like a celebration of imperfection. You could not simply step onto a floor, dance in a manner that you never had before and be perfect. Falling was encouraged (at least until you performed). It meant that you had tried. You had discovered what worked and what didn't. The next time you fall again, you learned. Learning leads to mastery. Mastery leads to success.

This past summer, I lived in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., for a mission trip. I desperately wanted to go. I questioned whether it was the right decision for months. Getting on the plane, I considered not boarding for a couple of minutes. Sitting on the plane, I cried from Seattle to Reno. I was terrified that I wasn't good enough to live on mission for two months. I was scared I wouldn't be able to do it. I was scared that I would fail and that I would fail myself, God, my family, my support team, and the people I was there with.

Having been back for three months, I can confidently say that I did not fail. That summer changed my life, and It changed me as a person. It was by no means a cake walk, but it changed me. I learned about myself, and I grew more than I could have ever imagined.

Sometimes, success isn't about reaching the end. It is certainly not about attaining perfection. It's about not being afraid. It's about taking steps, taking leaps of faith that, though they may lead to failure, let you learn the things that make you a better person. Taking those leaps of faith let you learn what you want. Failure, while not enjoyable, helps to give you the motivation to strive for what you want.