The Art Of Failure

It's part of our human nature, we all fail at one point or another. We fail an exam or a task; we just can't be good at everything, it's inevitable. There will be something that gets the best of us.

Failure is inevitable, yet failure is broad. A failure to some is a gift to others. It is dependent upon personality and on will. There are those who are risk takers, who shake off a failure and continue to strive to succeed. And then there are those who are deathly afraid of failure, who limit themselves to their only good features. Both of these cases take the undefined idea to the extreme. However, both of these extremes are worth a mention.

With the Spring Break season rapidly coming to a close, the midterm season is sprung upon us, full of hard exams, potential bad grades, and lots of stress. From a college kid's perspective, the word failure means below a 60 percent on an exam or in a class. But, as I said before, failure is an arbitrary figure in all of our lives.

We all fear failure. Yet, I can guarantee that a fair amount of individuals have never experienced it in its truest form. I am not a risk taker, I would personally rather stick to the things I know I am currently good at. But, if I limit myself, I will never discover my potential. I will never become who I should be. I envy those who are willing to always try new things. They have fought failure, and they have been victorious. I am still struggling to find the courage to take on new challenges, accepting the idea of failing at them.

So, if you are like me or even more confined than I am, I encourage you to take a risk and take a notoriously hard class or take up a new hobby. In the best case scenario, you will learn and enjoy the challenge. In the worst case, you will fail, but you will learn from the experience. Either way, you learn and you grow. What's there to be afraid of?

Grades and letters are only figures of progress, not a definition of life. It is okay to fail a test, and it's okay to fail a class, as long as you tried your best and learned from the experience. A number doesn't define your personality, and one test or midterm is not going to end your career. If you fail, it's okay. You can always try again tomorrow.