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Why it's okay to fail forward

December 6, 2024

Failure is difficult to accept. In my own experience, failure has given me opportunities to grow and become a better version of myself. Initially, I did struggle with accepting my moments of failure. It threatened my self-worth and became a challenge to suppress those feelings. To overcome this, I reached a point where I had to acknowledge my circumstances. It was up to me to continue ruminating on my negative thoughts or acknowledge and learn from my actions. 

Here, I am going to introduce the concept of failing forward. Failing forward helped guide me to a positive path and ultimately allowed me to succeed the second time. 

failure GIF

What is failing forward?

Failing forward means embracing your mistakes. Rather than resorting to negative behavior due to your failures, use it as an opportunity to grow and learn. When you fail forward, you focus on your mistakes to understand how to improve. This can bring you closer to your goals and allow you to approach your situation more positively. This concept is valued and often encouraged in many areas that focus on personal development. 

So, when you are in a situation where you may feel a setback, approach your situation as a challenge rather than a failure. With a mindset that builds resilience, you are a step closer to achieving your goals.

The consequence of ignoring failures

We will make the same mistakes when we do not acknowledge our failures. Although ignoring this aspect of ourselves can temporarily help us in the moment, it does more harm than good in the long term. By neglecting your failures, you are hindering opportunities for growth and learning. We miss the chance to understand our mistakes and how to avoid them in the future when we overlook our failures. 

We build resilience and adaptability by facing our failures, two critical skills for long-term success. Addressing failures also boosts self-awareness, helping us recognize our strengths and areas for improvement. This reflection allows for more informed decisions, leading to better outcomes.

Ignoring failures may provide temporary comfort, but it keeps us from reaching our full potential. Instead, confronting and learning from failures helps us "fail forward" and gives us insights and skills to make future efforts more successful.

What are the steps to failing forward?

When going through a challenging situation, it’s essential to recognize the steps to take to move forward. 

  1. Acknowledge the failure: When we go through failure, we may not think through the situation. At this stage, we need to come to an understanding of our setback without being defensive; rather than automatically blaming external factors, it is necessary to recognize our role, too. 
  2. Under the situation objectively: Evaluate what went wrong and why. Was your setback a result of lack of timing, resources, etc? Take the time to identify the choices that led to the outcome and the steps you will take to ensure it does not happen again.
  3. Reframe your failure: Shifting to a more positive mindset is crucial. Rather than viewing your failure as a setback, see it as essential to reaching your goals. 
  4. Modify your goals: Now that you have taken the time to reflect, form new/modified goals that can be broken down into manageable steps.
  5.  Take action: Now, you can finally put in what you practiced. Use the resources and knowledge you have gained through this experience to follow a positive direction.

Plant Growth Animation GIF by The Explainer Studio

Now that you’ve learned what it means to fail forward when encountering a challenge, view it as an opportunity to grow and become a better version of yourself! Good luck:)