Failure: Growth in Disguise
Failure is not the opposite of success - but part of it! Changing how we view failure can be the key to our success.
It is said that failure is not the opposite of success - but part of it. Everywhere you look, blindingly effortless success shines back at you and it can feel like nobody fails in life. We are audience to the endless snapshots and highlights of others ‘living their best lives’ and it is easy to believe that life is smooth sailing for many. On the contrary, the reality is that the journey to success is full of failures.
What is failure?
Failure is seen as the antithesis of success and the dictionary definition of failure is a ‘lack of success’. However, success and failure are similar in many ways. Just like success, no single definition of failure exists - it is what we choose it to be. Our outlook, our attitude and our approach towards challenges contribute to our personal definition of failure. In developing a precise definition we gain the power to decide what can defeat us, thus minimising the hold that failure can have over us.
Forced to stop.
In the busyness of life, our careers and our relationships it is hard to pause and reflect. Failures force us to stop. Although abrupt and unpleasant stops, obstacles offer us invaluable opportunities to step back. We can do a lot when we step back including repurpose, reassess, reorientate and re-energise ourselves. These interruptions are chances for us to grow in wisdom and understanding. Such situations reinforce our resilience and adaptability whilst pushing us to innovate and think creatively. We learn more about ourselves, where we are going and what to do next. In forcing us to stop, reflect and recollect, failures can be blessings in disguise.
Support in our hardship
Despite the positives which follow, being in the midst of failure is demoralising and frustrating. Having to re-evaluate and scrutinise so many parts of life can be overwhelming. In Psalm 145, verse 14 the Bible reassures us that God supports us through times of difficulty. It is comforting to know that God has got us.
If we let it, failure can be transformational. It offers the chance to pause, learn as well as the opportunity to begin again more intelligently. We control our definition of it, and how it affects us- failure is neither final nor fatal. Ultimately, the challenges we face do not define us, but how we overcome them does.
Words By
Tamilore Ogunyemi
