The Upsides Of Failure No Manager Will Ever Tell You

Failure is nothing but the lack of success. But what happens when we diligently put in efforts to make something work and it still fails? All of a sudden our gut feels heavy, emotions are heightened and we are confused, asking the questions, “What happened?” or “Why did this fail?” It may have failed in creating something as insignificant as a house of cards or something as important as an exam. Though the degree of failures may differ, the feeling associated with failure is always the same. We tend to forget that failure is sometimes inevitable and that there are some upsides of failure.

While we often call success a journey, the same is not said about failure. When failure occurs, most of us meet it with resistance, disappointment or worse, regret. But we fail to realise that the upside of failure that one must actually care about is learning. Every failure can be seen as an opportunity to learn. Why? Because when we fail, we know exactly what not to do and that brings us one step closer to our ultimate goal.

Remember when Amazon CEO, Jeff Bezoz mentioned rather wisely, that “failure and invention are inseparable twins” and one needs to keep on experimenting and failing in order to invent the unthinkable. From a management perspective, failure is regarded as constructive rather than destructive. Moreover, if you aspire to become a millionaire by 30, you should be able to embrace failure with your arms wide open.

Are There Any Upsides Of Failure?

Success and failure can be seen as two extreme destinations and to strike a balance between the two is what will help you to constantly learn and improve yourself. This is only true when you accept the upsides of failure and do not give up.

If you have faced failure in the recent past, let me tell you that you are not the only one. Each one of us faces failure in life in some way or the other. The good news here is not that misery loves company, rather the good news is there is always another way to reach your objective and be successful. The famous thought “if there is a will, there is a way” particularly focuses on failure and encourages all of us to find the correct way to approach things, even if we keep failing.

To make it easy for you to understand the upsides of failure, here are some reasons why you should fail once in a while.

Failure Is Your Fuel

For those who do not give up easily, the reason for such a spirit is a strong will and an uncompromising attitude towards success. Dr Dashun Wang of Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University observed and stated that “failure can be devastating but it can also fuel people”. This observation was followed after a group of scientists who failed to receive a prestigious grant outperformed those who did, 10 years later.

It was observed by Dr. Dashun Wang that those scientists who did not receive the grant published more successful papers than those who received the prestigious award.

Thus, it is possible to use the circumstances of failure to bounce back and achieve more than you could ever imagine.

A Healthy Perspective In Life

A healthy body cannot do much without a healthy mind. We know a mind is healthy when it does not dive into a negative pit the moment it learns something that goes against it. For example, say you have prepared for an entrance test with all your mind and heart and still fail to crack it. A healthy mind will try to find out the reasons why it may have failed and recoup strength and energy to take this up as a challenge or a hurdle. An unhealthy mind on the other hand will give up and move on.

In order to live an all-rounded life, you need to experience both: success and failure. If you constantly strive for success, you will ultimately succeed. However, if you are unable to accommodate failure once in a while, you will never be able to connect with the world. One of the healthiest habits to have is not taking failure to heart and not taking success to the brain.

The Upside Of Failure: Constant Learning & Wisdom

Those who fail and keep trying are the ones who are unbreakable. Failure can be seen as a stepping stone to progress. This means that each time you fail, you learn something new and as a result progresses towards achieving their ultimate goal. When failure is taken in the correct spirit, the anecdotes of your failure will reveal your true personality and reflect your personal attributes.

One of the upsides of failure is constant learning. Even though not all failures that you will face in life will be a 100% positive in nature. But 100% of the failures you face will be a learning experience for you. The quality of having experience, knowledge, skill and good judgement is often called “wisdom” and this attribute can only be gained by accepting the upsides of failure.

Management & Personality Development

When it comes to management, failure is not important however, it is unavoidable. If you aspire to take some measured and thoughtful risk in your business, the chances of failure and success are 50–50. Though facing failure may be unpleasant since the risk you took was calculated, accepting the failure is what will add credibility to your personality. When it comes to management and failure, it is not about how you failed, but how well you were able to handle the failure.

Do you think accepting the upsides of failure will lead to success eventually? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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