From an early age, we are taught that failure is something that shouldn’t happen. In school, we do everything we can do not to fail. Winning is celebrated in sports and awards are given out for the best grades. However, I have yet to see an award ceremony that celebrates the biggest failure.

Failure is a learning tool

I genuinely believe failures should be celebrated. Not in the, “Let’s have a parade down main street sort of way,” yet there are amazing things inside failing that we need to look at. If you failed, it actually means you tried, you did it, it wasn’t the outcome you wanted, but you did it. That is huge! You had a choice, you could have done nothing, but that wasn’t what you did. You tried, it may have been an epic failure, yet you did something.

Inside that failure, there is so much to learn. You now know what works and what doesn’t. You can take that knowledge and use it at the next opportunity. You sure know what not to do, and that will lead you to what to do to get the success you are looking for.

If you don’t fail, you don’t try. If you don’t step up and get out of your comfort zone, you will never have the experience of different and that, my friend, is the kiss of death to us! Not stepping out of our comfort zone is no way to live your life. It doesn’t matter if it is in business or personal, if you never get the courage to try something different, you will stay exactly where you are. I know for a fact most of us don’t want that.

The fear of failure sucks

So many of us have the fear of failure. In our heads, it is so much bigger and harder than it actually is. The fear is the part that stops us from trying; it keeps us stuck. I challenge you to look at it from a different perspective.

Sometimes, I make a worse case scenario list. I think of all the things that could go wrong. When I do that, I realize that even if something goes wrong, it isn’t that bad. Then I make a list of what could happen if it went well – this usually totally outweighs the fail list, and I end up trying.

Yes, I’m well acquainted with failing

Now I will tell you I’ve had some epic fails, and they hurt! The trick is to get up, dust off, and try again. Look at what didn’t work and change it up. All of the failures are steps in the successes. I would never have built a successful company if I didn’t learn along the way things that didn’t work. Some of those failures where epic, I lost a lot of money and time along the way, yet in the long run, every single one of them taught me something. There is so much magic in failing.

So my question is: do you not do things because you are afraid of failing? Really stop and think about it. Unless it causes hurt to others or bodily harm, why are you not trying? In my book failing is a great thing. I don’t like to do it, but I am ok with it when it happens – it shows that I am committed to what I want and I will work towards it!

Click here to connect with me and let’s talk about the part of failure that scares the shit out of you.