How many blog posts, e-coures, webinars and e-newsletters have you seen promoting ways to be successful? Even right here, on this blog, I’m a huge proponent of inspiring others to become their most successful self. I love setting goals, and then creating plans to see them through. But how often do we discuss the elephant in the room? That big, looming cloud that we are always told to run from? I’m talking about failure.

One of my biggest lessons/takeaways from 2013 was this: Failures happen. BUT, they can only carry as much weight as you allow them to, and aren’t as life shattering as we make them seem.

Some of the most brilliant minds out there have failed a class or two. Some of the most creative and successful businesses experienced failure before they hit smooth seas. If you allow yourself to sink, sulk and sigh every time you fail, you’re taking time away from focusing on your come back!

So let’s call a spade a spade, and shed some truth about failure.

01.  Failure does NOT define you.

02. Failures don’t have to be permanent things.

03. They are absolutely not the end of the world.

04. You can still work towards accomplishing other goals. Don’t let one set back break your focus from all of the good you can still do!

05. You cannot fix everything. Accept the fact that some things are just out of your control.

06. More than likely, you will fail again. And that’s okay.

07. You will be okay. Promise.

08. Are you still alive? Uninjured? In good health? Then cheer up a bit, because your failure probably wasn’t as bad as you think.

09. Failing at something does not mean that you aren’t meant to do it.

10. YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE!!!

Failing at something means that you were courageous enough to step outside of your comfort zone and try something new. It means that you were bold and daring, and did something that other people in your shoes would have run away from. The only way to truly fail at something is to never try anything. 

So brush it off, pick yourself up and give it another go. I promise, failure feels so much better than the constant feeling of “what-if” you have when you never try anything.

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29 Comments

  1. Love this. You know its funny as I have gotten older I have learned that failure is something you learn from and it can be a powerful lesson that you can grow and be better 🙂

    Glad I stumbled upon your blog.

    1. I’m so glad that you stumbled upon my blog, too. Thanks for commenting 🙂

      I think that failure is just as healthy and valuable as an accomplishment. We are more likely to reflect and improve on the things that went wrong than we are the things that went right.

  2. This is such a great reminder. There’s so many great quotes about failure and how you can learn from it. Thank you for the great post!

  3. I love this. I definitely don’t succeed each time that I try something new, but I always learn a lot from it. My second attempt always goes much further than the first. I’m definitely pinning this as a reminder!

  4. Glad your highlighting the truths. Some people take failure as the end of the world. I used to. If I failed it was over and it meant I wasn’t perfect. Now I have learned to brush it off, pick myself up and give it another go like you mentioned.

  5. Man oh man did I need to read this. Lets say that 2014 hasn’t been off to the best start and failing is something I’ve started to master in the only 7 days of 2014. Yes I am trying to quit thinking so negatively (since my two words for 2014 are Simplified Happiness) but it’s really hard to be positive when failure happens.

    1. I hope 2014 turns around for you, I’m sure that it will, and that you’ll do some really awesome thing in the next 350 or so days we have left! I think those are great words that you picked. What made you choose those two?

  6. I def had my share of failures last year and it sucked at the time but it showed me that I am a lot stronger than I think and what I need to do to succeed next time..Great post!!

  7. Great post to keep in mind as we plow ahead with our new year’s resolutions… I personally struggle with remembering that failing at a particular activity/skill does not mean *I* am a failure!

  8. I think this kinda relates to everything in life – specifically what I went through. I definitely needed the break I took, but I’ve brushed my shoulders off and we’re keeping it movin!

  9. What wonderful timing to read this… yup, everyone fails at SOMETHING — even if that something is trying something new. We get so caught up in looking perfect or having an amazing outcome without realizing that “failures” are opportunities for growth and for creating something even BETTER, more powerful, relatable, fun, whatever it is. If it doesn’t work out, it’s for a reason. But the reason doesn’t have to be that we’re “inadequate.” Thanks Amber!

  10. Fear and failure are my biggest vices. They can be crippling and discouraging. I like the way you put it all in perspective and I leave this post feeling empowered.