Estimated Reading Time: 8 mins
Introduction
For many this may be an unpopular opinion, but the truth of the matter is, there’s so much to gain from failure when you choose to see it through a productive lens.
To truly benefit from failure, there’s one thing we must never do — give up.
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Have you ever wondered why so few people in the world are billionaires?
Think about it.
The higher the net worth, the smaller the pool of people in that category — but the lower the net worth, the greater that pool becomes.
It’s easy to be part of the mediocre many, but it takes work to become one of the exceptional few.
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The fear of failure prevents masses of people from pursuing their dreams and ambitions.
It is often our response to failure that separates those who succeed from those who don’t.
When it comes to the journey of success, character matters more than skill.
The traits that shape an individual are what ultimately determine the outcomes they achieve.
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Everyone can start, but these traits determine who sees it through.
It’s about applying faith that aligns with what you expect to happen, regardless of your circumstances.
If you truly believe in what you’re doing and your ability, there’s no obstacle you cannot overcome.
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Lessons Over Losses
Failure, when paired with determination, builds resilience.
It’s a trait I now take pride in, but it wasn’t always this way — in the past, my failure combined with doubt birthed abandonment.
As humans, we are emotive by nature, and failure can compromise our confidence.
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This is often the point where people begin to self-sabotage and discontinue their plans.
However, with mental toughness, discipline, consistency, and a measure of optimism, failure can just as easily become a stepping stone to success.
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It’s not the failure itself that matters — we all experience it. The deciding factor is how we respond when it happens.
Do you see it as an opportunity to learn?
Are you taking time to reflect and rework your strategy?
What areas could benefit from improvement, and how can you actively develop them?
Are you investing time in strengthening your areas of weakness?
These are the kinds of questions that should form the foundation of our strategy for bouncing back every time.
Don’t get me wrong — it’s natural to feel upset, because we’re human. But our objective despite the difficulty, should never be to sit in or become consumed by negative emotions.
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Conviction in Your Calling
Colonel Harland David Sanders, the creator of the KFC recipe known around the world today, was retired at 65.
After retiring, he travelled across the United States trying to sell his recipe to restaurants, and was rejected 1,009 times.
On his 1,010th attempt, his offer was accepted — and KFC was born, going on to become a global brand for generations.
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For many, experiencing failure once is enough to make us lose faith and give up entirely.
Think about the level of conviction and character required to endure such a process.
Colonel Sanders was 65, travelling by car and investing time and resources along the way — yet he relentlessly pursued the outcome he believed in.
Convinced that his recipe was special, meant perceiving repeated failure only as a temporary obstacle until he won — failure was no hindrance to his goal.
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How many of us would be willing to fail 1,009 times if we could foresee the outcome with absolute certainty?
Even with the added foresight, it still takes a remarkable level of character to persist.
We may not have access to the future, but the outcomes we desire are entirely reliant on the strength of our conviction, our faith, and our commitment to seeing it through.
If we stop believing, we shortchange ourselves from ever finding out — we must maximise our opportunity in life no matter our age, gender, background, or past track record.
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Failure provides the opportunity to test the strength of your conviction about your dreams — separating surface-level interests from true desire.
What I’ve learnt from Colonel Sanders and other renowned inventors and successful entrepreneurs is that nearly all of them experienced seasons of failure.
However, their passion and associated belief systems created a hyper-focused attention to their intention, while their character and resilience sustained that direction.
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If we want to make progress and become one of the exceptional few, we must apply the same approach — regardless of setbacks.
Earlier, I mentioned the importance of applying a little optimism.
This is because we won’t always feel motivated, especially when we experience failure so we must never rely on feelings alone.
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Our focus should be on the character we develop throughout the process, because who we become and the skills we gain are what will carry us through.
Our conviction must be so compelling that no matter how we feel, we remain consistent amidst uncertainty. Whether we see results or not, our intention should never waiver.
Yes, it’ll be tough, but it’s how we stay on the path that leads to success. When things go wrong, we should learn from them and bounce back with a greater strategy than before.
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Summary
Whether you’re failing now, or have failed in the past, disappointment is something we will all encounter — it’s a part of life.
Even so, we can mitigate the effects of unexpected eventualities by living in a state of preparedness and building our resilience.
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Don’t allow bad situations to push you into a state of panic and confusion.
Stay ready by consistently practicing your skills, refining your approach, maintaining discipline, continuing to learn, devising contingencies, and holding yourself accountable.
We must rinse and repeat this lifestyle, regardless of how we feel.
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Strive to become the best at what you do, not because you wish to compete, but out of a commitment to producing quality, increasing your value as a natural byproduct.
The level of value we offer to the marketplace will influence our reach, contribute to our success, and strengthen our confidence.
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Confidence is a helpful ally when it comes to bouncing back from failure.
The more you level up your skillset and grow in character, the more you build your confidence.
As your confidence grows, it becomes easier to recover when things go wrong.
Each time we overcome seasons of failure, we become more resilient.
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So, no matter how disheartened or disappointed you may feel today or in the future, remember that your survival rate has been 100%.
If giving up feels like the only option, there’s something I wish to share with you before you make that final decision.
Define your life’s season finale by determining the story of every episode — strive to be a part of the minority who may fail, yet fail to sink.
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9
