My freshman year of high school, I failed my first test in my religion class. It was only the first week of school and I went into the bathroom and started crying. First, I thought, "Is all of high school going to be this miserable?" (Plot twist: it wasn't). Second, I felt so stupid and so lazy for having done awful on this one test that it bothered me for awhile before I could get over it.
It was just the start of many more. I failed almost every test in my junior year Physics class, but I failed in other areas as well: I did not get cast in my school musicals in any important role and did not into the elite singing group that many of my friends did. Then came college with the same problems: once again, I auditioned and auditioned only to not make it each separate time.
It sucked. They all sucked. Each time I felt like I was not as skilled as I once thought I was. I thought my talents I had worked so hard to cultivate had just faded away. Every time I messed up, it was another jab in my heart and my head, telling me I was not good enough.
Sure, I have had plenty of successes; in fact, I have had many wonderful successes. Sadly, it is easy for those to get overshadowed by doubt and worry, when it appears that failure has become a constant theme in your life.
I had a teacher tell me not too long ago that we have to brave enough to fail in order to get anywhere in life. If we never experience failure, then we will never know what we can improve upon, and this applies to anything: schoolwork, sports, special skills. If you never allow yourself to fail, and you never allow yourself to try things that you know you will suck at the first time, then you will never get better. You might miss out on a whole new part of your life because you are afraid of messing up. If you do not fail, then you will not succeed.
Think about when you learned to ride a bike: you definitely did not get it on the first try as soon as you put your little butt on the seat (props to those who did, but most kids do not). You had to let your feet slip off the pedals and you had to lose your balance before you figured out how to keep your balance and ride the bike. You had to fail before you could figure it out.
Everyone is always so scared of becoming a "Failure" with a capital "F"; that they will amount to nothing, that they will have no way to apply themselves in the real world and spend their days watching soap operas and eating Cheez-its on their parents' couch. You are only failing yourself if you do not let yourself get out there and try new things. The only person you have to disappoint is yourself.
Don't hold yourself back. Get out there and try new things, even if you know you will not be any good, because one day, that very same thing you thought you were no good at could very well become your career! Failure is just a speed bump on the road to success, not a wall. You are stronger than you think you are. "Failure is not an option" does not apply, nor does it ever apply. Failure is an option, but do not be scared of it! Embrace it.
