Failure: A Rite of Passage to Success
Until recently, ‘failure’ had become a taboo word in our achievement-oriented society. No one wanted to admit that they had experienced it, and those who did often threw in the towel, assuming they simply didn’t have what it took to bring their dreams into fruition. The good news is that times are changing, and failure is being looked at in a new light. In fact, failure is now being considered as an official rite of passage to true success. What has a sparked this change in outlook? Perhaps it’s the fact that successful people have become more transparent. No longer do we only hear about their impressive outcomes; we also hear about the failures that helped shaped them into the dynamos they became. We find it hard to believe that Academy Award-winning filmmaker, Steven Spielberg, was a junior high school dropout. We scratch our heads over the knowledge that NBA basketball legend, Michael Jordan, had once been cut from his high school basketball team because his coach didn’t think he was a skilled enough player. One we get over our disbelief, however, we realize that just as these individuals experienced failure and went on to achieve success, so can we! It’s all in how we look at failure, and what we do after having gone through it. If you’ve recently experience failure, congratulations! You have just experienced a rite of passage to success. Not only are you wiser and better equipped for your journey, but you are now part of a group of achievers who have “been there and done that.” Had you not experienced failure, you may never have developed the level of insight, hindsight and drive that you now have to accomplish your goals.