Failure: it's a scary word, especially if you are a type-A perfectionist like a lot of students out there, including me. Just the mere thought of failing makes us uneasy. But here is the hard truth: whether it is in academics, athletics, or any other aspect of your life, you need to fail. Now, I'm not saying you should try to fail because that is just ridiculous, but it does need to happen to you.
Ask any successful person out there and they will probably tell you that they achieved greatness because they have failed. The greatest learning opportunities present themselves after we fall short of a goal that we worked tirelessly to attain. How you respond to such failure will define you as a person. How you pick up the pieces will determine your success. I have seen many people who are quick to point the finger to blame their shortcomings on other people or factors. They want to wear the mask of a victim and avoid accepting responsibility for their failures. But that is the easy way out. When we acknowledge our failures and resolve to learn from them and move forward, we will make progress. Only then we can see where we can improve and what we can do better.
Failure is not always the opposite of success. Sometimes it can be a complement of it. However, it all starts with your mindset and your reaction to your shortcomings. What are you going to do to be better? How are you going to respond?
