Failure is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as: omission of occurrence; specifically a failing to perform a duty or expected action. Quite a simple definition for a word that is so greatly feared by today's society. It makes adults and children alike who experience it fear facing the rest of the world, even sometimes to the point where they feel they can't go on. But, it is also society's fault that they feel this way. From a young age, we have been taught to fear failure and to strive only for success. But I think it should be taught the other way around. And so, failures, this letter is for you.
Dear Failures,
And by saying 'failures', I mean:
Dear Everyone,
That's right. Everyone. Everyone is a failure, because at some point, everyone has failed. And guess what? That's okay! In fact, it's wonderful! This may come as a shock to you, but no one is perfect. No, not even Beyoncé (though she comes pretty close). Everyone at some point in their life has messed up at something. Maybe you've failed a school project. Maybe you've crashed your new car. Maybe you missed the opportunity for a promotion at work. Whatever it was, it probably made you feel really, really, really crappy.
That's understandable. And it's not your fault. From a young age, you and your friends were taught to fear failing at things. You were maybe even punished for it. And that continued as you grew up. The same thing happened to your parents, and your grandparents, and your great grandparents, and your great great grandparents... You get the picture. Society has made failure enemy number 1.
There's a simple solution to this, and that is a change in perspective. The first part of this change is still taking some time to wallow in your failure. It's okay to cry, scream into your pillow, and eat lots of ice cream. Kind of like a break up, it's hard to feel good about something until you've taken a little bit of time to feel bad about it. But the important part is that after, you celebrate your failure. Remind yourself that your world really isn't ending, but that it just hit a little bump.
The second part of the change is seeing failure as an opportunity to succeed. And what do I mean by this? I mean how are you ever supposed to succeed if you don't know how not to? If you never fail, you're never going to know what not to do. You're not going to realize that sometimes, there's a reason for failure. The change in perspective is seeing failure as an opportunity to grow, not as something that cuts you down. And it means that you help remind those around you of the same thing.
Just remember, failures, that not succeeding is scary, but it is wonderful. Most of the time.
