Is Failure overrated?
When confronted by a failure, the instinctive coping mechanism is to convince yourself that this downfall is a necessity for progression and maturation. We argue that it is a concept significantly more overused than success. It is not a setback but rather a catapult into achieving even greater things.
Whether it be basketball players to Oprah to Thomas Edison, the claim that failure is the proponent of enhanced opportunity is an idea much reinforced. But is failure really mandatory for success? Does a direct relationship between the number of failures and magnitude of achievement actually exist? Do we really need to find 10,000 ways that don’t work before discovery of that one that does?
Or maybe the glorification of failure is merely an excuse for alleviating the pain that comes from trying to endure it. Telling ourselves that downfall is a universal process that everyone goes through can be comforting.
Success and failure are such relative definitions to each person. What quantifies attainment of goals and shortcomings is contingent on the consequences that arise from them. Maybe the definition of our goals are set to be so high that anything short of them are considered failures.
But restriction in goal setting due to fear of failure is inhibition of risk taking and innovation. The belief that the taste of failure is symbolic to the removal of a bandaid assumes that a downfall is capable of eliminating this fear. However, this assumption is naive in that it is applicable to only certain people under specific situations.
Experience of failure can be either humbling or inhibiting. For some, it is the opportunity to expose the consequences of rash and overly passionate decision making. It serves as a reminder of their lack of invincibility. It also enables them to overcome that mental block and realize that rebound is possible. Their revival is remarkable and unprecedented.
For others a setback can be debilitating and suffocation into a state many cannot emerge from. It is confirmation of all their fears and weaknesses and legitimizes the culmination of their deepest worries. It is the complete animation of self-doubt.
Instead, emphasis shouldn’t lie in the glorification of failure but rather in the relentless attempts that led to it. Failure itself is not directly responsible for the development of a person. It is the mentality that guided the individual to take action capable of endangering success that is.
I do not believe failure is rebirth because that would signify starting over or establshing a new tabula rasa. If failure is taking lessons from what we have learned and understanding them, then we are not a clean slate but rather an accumulation of experiences.
We become a product molded and shaped by the results of achievement and defeat. We become slates marked with imperfection.
It is true that behind every success exists numerous failures. However, this is because mistake is nearly inevitable and unavoidable. Lack of failure will not make us any less successful. You don’t need 3 divorces before finding the love of your life. Four failed startups are not mandatory to establishing a monumental enterprise.
Thus, failure is not a necessity in order to succeed. It merely gives you a new perspective and the opportunity to choose whether to remain defeated or rise up into something greater.
Failure does not change us. Rather, it is a test of resilience. It is the stress on a system that can either regain equilibrium or become overpowered. It should not be an excuse for what we cannot achieve, only a justification for risk taking and fearless attempt.
