Failure is a blessing. It is natural to not like failing and to want to avoid it at all costs. Yet, only through failure can we achieve more than we thought possible.
When my daughter was little, she was an excellent crawler. She was quick and could get anywhere she wanted. As a result, she had no interest in learning to walk. What was the point? Walking was slow and she wasn’t very good at it. I joked that she’d still be crawling when she graduated high school.
For her first birthday, we put her in a fancy polka dot dress. The dress was longer than what she normally wore and had a lining that was slick. All of a sudden, she couldn’t crawl because the dress was in the way. She kept trying, but failed. Repeatedly. But then something amazing happened. She stood up and took a step. Then another and another. Only by failing at crawling was she able to change her focus and start walking.
Photo credit: Flickr Dermot O’Halloran
Failure provides a wonderful platform for moving forward. As John Maxwell writes, failing forward turns mistakes into stepping stones for success. I have had several failures recently which have made me think about the benefits of failing. It doesn’t make me happier to fail, but helps me appreciate the three wonderful blessings of failure.