Why You Should Fail Fast To Learn Fast

Success is important and in order to succeed you need not to fail….right?

We are raised from a young age to the best, which is often associated with the absence of failure.

Why is that? This is because the word “failure “itself is synonymous with disappointment, tragedy or disaster.

There is nothing positive about any of those associations. Yet we all fail one way or another and some have even lead to some of the greatest successes.

For the longest time I viewed failure as an end-all-be-all. I would beat myself up if I made mistakes or bad decisions. We want our success to happen within a blink of an eye.

The reality is anybody who has become successful experienced numerous failures and that is they are successful. They learnt from their experiences and moved forward.

The great Winston Churchill said success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts”

In this article I will break down why failure is a good and positive thing to help transform your mindset about it. Here are some reasons why you should fail fast;

It gives you a second chance

The beauty in failure is that it gives you another chance to start over. Quitting is the most fatal thing you can do. It will not promote growth, you will feel demotivated and end up losing focus.

Remind yourself that there are other chances and opportunities no matter how difficult it is to digest failure.

You develop a thick skin

It’s all about resilience! Having a thick skin helps you tackle any challenge that comes your way.

Your mindset also becomes emotionally neutral and balanced.

Billionaire Richard Branson, Founder of Virgin Atlantic when asked about the place of failure in the journey of success said that many people fail because they’re too afraid of failure to begin with.

He urged that we should all embrace fear, learn from it and move on to your next venture with courage and the knowledge that if you don’t hit upon a success, you’ll have the will to do it again and take on the next challenge.

You gain new knowledge

Failures don’t have to equal loss. Rather, they can be gains.

My first internship after graduating from university was at a media house where I was assigned to write news stories for the daily newspaper.

The first month was such a tough time because I made a lot of mistakes and was under constant pressure from my supervisor to do the right thing at all times. I felt like giving up, I dreaded going to the office every day.

But you know what? I pressed on. I could not let all my efforts go in vain. I challenged myself every day to learn from my mistakes and to gain new knowledge from other senior reporters, through practice and reading new materials each day.

Slowly by slowly I became better and was able to handle all my work assignments with ease.

You become skilled in identifying what works and what doesn’t

Once you’ve figured out why something didn’t work out, you’ll have another chance to do something in a different way. There is beauty in trying something again and realizing what you did wrong previously. This is when growth and development starts to take shape.

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Failure Strengthens Your Mindset

A stronger mindset provides emotional stability and balance, especially when everything hits bottom rock.

Leonardo Da Vinci, who painted the “Mona Lisa” the most famous piece of art work in the world, is often remembered for his controversial lifestyle rather than his successes despite his tremendous contribution to the art world.

In life, setbacks and failures are a part of human nature and growth.

Failure helps you master whatever you’re doing

No matter what field you’re in, trial and error is basically a science experiment. It’s a process of trying and failing. The willingness to keep trying and doing results in mastering your craft. Individuals in creative and technical jobs must undergo this process daily.

As a writer, I find myself constantly critiquing my work.  I will write an article and find myself coming to redo it later. Every time I’ve had to start over or redo something, by the second trial, I’d nail it.

It resets your focus

Failures can be powerful forces capable of rewiring our minds, thoughts, and actions. Resetting your focus means a new way of approaching a situation in your work life that you may have overlooked.

After experiencing many setbacks in my life, I noticed a shift in my focus. Not to say my focus wasn’t there before, but my second time around, my attention to detail is sharpened and more precise.

I saw things from a new and fresh perspective.

You’ll Inspire Others

Nobody became somebody without failing first.  Before any entrepreneur or corporate worker reached their destination, they had to have failed dozens and dozens of times.

One of the most inspiring stories that have touched my life is that of Business Mogul Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Express.

He failed a key primary school test two times, failed his middle school test three times, and failed his college entrance exam two times.

He  was rejected for all the 30 jobs that he applied for after college, was rejected by Harvard University 10 times and even KFC rejected him – the only one out of 24 applicants who was rejected then.

It may have stung, but he simply refused to give up and because of that he is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world.

The Bottom Line

Failure is the key ingredient that will unlock all kinds of life-altering experiences. Don’t resist or live in fear of something that can only bring you to the place you desire to go. So be brave and believe in the importance of failure in pursuing success.

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