Trial And Failure — 5 Lessons We Can Learn From Failing
If you are to fail, make it be forward.
One of my favorite things to do is to dive into a brilliant podcast. Among the many brilliant podcasts out there, Tony Robbins has some of the best content and interviews.
I was recently listening to the CEO of LYFT speak with Tony about the obstacles he faced in creating a company that now covers 90% of the continental United States.
One of the things mentioned was the importance of “trial and failure”. In my book, Thought Leadership, I spend a full chapter discussing this concept. But for today, I want you to digest this concept with 5 ways you can turn ‘trial and failure’ into success and achievement.
First, I want you to think about a time you failed at something.
Maybe it was your first race.
Maybe it was your first marriage.
Whatever the case may be, spend a few moments reflecting on the learnings from that failure.
Now, let’s talk about some of the main reasons why we fall hard when they fail.
We feel inadequate
We feel hurt by taking the failure personally
We feel defeated
We feel emotionally drained
We feel hopeless
We may begin to grieve
Feelings associated with failure are tough. However, instead of spending months or even years in this emotional state of emptiness and grief, I want to share some reasons why it is ok for you to fail to help you move forward in your life.
1. Failure forces growth
Growth comes from learning. learning CAN BE a result of failure — if you let it. Learning from failure (when you are mentally ready to learn from it) will cause you to grow. You are in a storm now, but that storm of failure can turn into a beautiful sunset in the future. Failure leaves ‘breadcrumbs’. Follow those and the learnings will naturally unveil themselves. Seeing and feeling those unveilings are a sign of personal growth.
2. Failure reinforces your values
If you have failed at something so significant that it has you ‘down and out’, it is highly likely that it was something you truly valued that you failed at. Whether it was a marriage, a business transaction, a playoff game, etc.. Failures often strengthen our core values and lead us back to the ‘why’ of how we got in this situation to begin with.
3. Failure changes your mental structure
Failure can be so emotionally intense that it can actually change our mental structure. Simply put — after an intense failure, you are biologically not the same person you once were. You are different. What didn’t work then is in the past and you are now a new person whether you want to admit it or not. Harness the power of the new person you have become and use this change in your brain to produces changes to your next relationship, endeavor or adventure.
4. Failure breeds a sense of urgency
Last year I lost a great friend to an intense battle with cancer. He went through a tough battle that had him go through a vigorous cycle of triumph and failure over his series of cancer treatments and surgeries. Instead of wallowing in failed treatment options, he used the precious gift of life to his advantage to living his life with an unprecedented level of urgency. He was not going to let any failures or setbacks prevent him from doing what he wanted to do. I still think of the lessons that he taught me each and every day.
5. Failure challenges your comfort zone
I have personally failed at being an entrepreneur 4 different times. Each time I have failed I have gone back and journaled why I failed and what I learned. One thing I noticed with each of these failures is that each venture I failed at first challenged my comfort zone. I was pushed to take on new roles, produce new ideas and create innovative thought leadership to make these ventures succeed. Unfortunately, I didn’t succeed. The average entrepreneur fails 5 times before they produce a financially viable company, Organization or product. Failure is uncomfortable so welcome it and take it for what it is. Accepting this will allow you to expand the boundaries of your comfort zone.
I wish for you to continue to ‘go deep’ in your own life. To move forward beyond the initial moments of failure to a life of legendary.
For additional strategies on how to become more confident, organized, productive and successful in your life and vocation, I encourage you to pick up my latest book: Your Best Decade.
Ryan