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Why Failure Is Really a Victory

Guest post by: Karl Ruegg

Article Overview: When some thing doesn't go your way, what's the first thought that pops into your head? Do you chastise yourself? Or do you reassure yourself that you are growing stronger and wiser with each challenge you face? In reality, it's not the goods results that make you a stronger, more successful person; it's the failures...

Why Failure Is Really a Victory

When some thing doesn't go your way, what's the first thought that pops into your head? Do you chastise yourself? Or do you reassure yourself that you are growing stronger and wiser with each challenge you face?

In reality, it's not the goods results that make you a stronger, more successful person; it's the failures.

This may sound odd, but each failure you have is actually a success. Why, you ask? Because it gives you the option to raise, learn, and try again. Let's take a look at a couple of the world's greatest failures that lead to the some of the most all-pervasive inventions of our time.

\* Did you know that 3M's greatest failure was inventing epoxy that won't stick? That epoxy became the basis for the sticky backing on the "Post-It Note."

\* The scientists at Pfizer were trying to create a medication that treated high blood pressure in men. It failed to affect blood pressure, but it had one unexpected side effect. We now know this drug as Viagra and it's considered one of the most thriving failures ever.

This doesn't always mean that each failure you encounter will land you with an immediate success. But it's always a stepping-stone along the way.

You Can Only Appreciate Victory After You've Failed

Thomas Edison had an astonishingly positive attitude about failure. When he was questioned as to why so numerous of his experiments were failures, he reacted by articulating that he by no means had a failure in any of his experiments, rather, each experiment helped him discover another way that some thing would not work. In reality, often the only way to know whether you've succeeded is to fail.

Learning How to Deal With Disappointment

Dealing with the disappointment of failure can be tough for adults as well as for kids. But everyone experiences failure at some point in their lives and teaching our kids how to deal with the disappointment is a critical life lesson.

Can you imagine a young adult, either a teenage or higher education student, dealing with their first failures in the business office? A tantrum at any age is not appealing, never mind from an adult who should know better.

Consider the very wise words of Winston Churchill who said, "Success is going from failure to failure without losing passion." What did he mean exactly? Well here are three reasons why failing is a good thing:

1. Ideas-- Before you laugh, think about your child years when you didn't get something right the first time. What did you do? Tried again and again! Each time the thought in your head was, "I am going to get it right this time!" What better commitment do you need?

2. Humility-- No one is perfect, usually we need to be reminded of that very fact! Can you imagine a world where no one ever failed and we all walked around thinking we were God's gift to the world?

3. Learning-- Achievement makes you feel good, but failing teaches you a lesson. Think back to the first time you swung a bat, learned to walk, or tried to eat with a fork. Did you do it right the first time? Of course not. Did you figure out with each failure what you were doing wrong? Well if you can swing a bat today, walk and eat with a fork then I guess you did!

Failure brings positive change and achievement to those who are tough. Are you?

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Article Tags: failure, issues, overcome challenges, problems, self confidence, self esteem, stress, success



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