Who gave the word ‘fail’ such a bad reputation? All of our lives, we’ve heard that word. It’s burned into our minds. We feel less than, because of it. The word itself carries so much weight, it can bring down the strongest person.
Let’s look at the word ‘fail’ in a different light. If you replace the word ‘fail’ with the word ‘learn,’ maybe your ego won’t be so hurt. Take a look:
- I failed the test.
- I have failed you.
- You did not succeed, you failed.
- You fail to realize that one plus one equals two.
Now, let’s use the same sentences, with the new word replacement.
- I learned the test.
- I have learned you.
- You did not succeed, you learned.
- You learned to realize that one plus one equals two.
That’s not so bad, is it? See what a little word replacement and perspective can do?
When you fail at something, it feels like you didn’t do it correctly, or you did something wrong. End of story, right? No, it’s not. When that situation happens again, you know exactly what to do to so that it turns out in your favor. You’ve gone through it and you know what to do and what to expect. You’re now one step ahead.
Failure is the process of learning.
Every time you replace the word ‘fail’ with the word ‘learn,’ it may not make perfect sense, but you get it. It’s better than allowing that other heavy word to pull you and your confidence down.
If you can make that connection in your mind, you’ll be better off when you hear it or use it. Failing is not bad. As you can see, you are learning. It happens and it’s a part of life. Don’t let it get you down.
Instead of feeling like a ‘failure,’ you should feel like a ‘learner’! That’s all it is. You didn’t lose – if you’re thinking on the right track, you’ll see that you’re actually learning. It’s like a puzzle. Some pieces don’t fit together, but if you keep going, you’ll find the right pieces to build together. Eventually, you’ll have an entire masterpiece.
So let’s all change the narrative. Use ‘failure’ as a stepping stone to finding a better way. Make it a constructive word and not a destructive word, as it has been.
Change your perspective. You don’t fail, you learn.