“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” - Theodore Roosevelt 

In the quest to achieve our goals and realize our dreams, we often come face-to-face with an unwelcome guest: failure.

It is a force that can be daunting and disheartening, threatening to cancel the ambition that lives within us.

However, let me share a crucial truth: failure is not the antagonist of your success story, it is the mentor that guides you towards growth and understanding.

We often look at success as the epitome of achievement and growth. We celebrate it, work toward it, and strive for it every day. But, in that celebration, we inadvertently dismiss the crucial role that failure plays in this journey. And, we look at failure as something to avoid at all costs.

Does success teach us as profoundly as failure does?

In reality, failure is where we often find our most valuable life lessons. Is success the end goal? Success teaches us what works, but failure teaches us what doesn't - and this is equally, if not more, important. It instills in us resilience, adaptability and tenacity. It compels us to reevaluate, reinvent, and ultimately, to grow.

Does failure sting? Definitely.

But does it also serve a purpose and contribute monumentally to our growth? Always.

Embracing failure is about seeing it as a valuable lesson for feedback. It’s about understanding that success is not an easy straight line, but instead, a complex journey with twists, turns, and a lot of ups and downs.

Imagine a world where failure is not feared, but embraced, as a constructive component of the learning process - a world where schools, organizations, and communities encourage taking risks, pushing boundaries, and venturing outside their comfort zones.

In this world, every stumble, every fall, every missed target is not a source of shame, but a badge of honor - a testament to courage, effort, and perseverance.

The most inspiring stories are those that aren’t halted by fear - they are challenged and remain resilient to face that adversity and keep going.

These are the narratives of those who have been knocked down, picked themselves back up, and are now stronger and wiser for it.

Don’t allow fear of failure to hold you back from your dreams. Embrace failure as a stepping stone to success.

Today’s questions you need to ask yourself:

Identify these and let them guide your journey. Because therein lies the power to turn failure into success. 

Dare to fail, dare to learn, and dare to grow. Create a life that celebrates not just the triumphs but also the trials.

In pursuit of personal growth,

Erin