FAILURE is an inevitable part of life, yet many of us fear it as if it defines our worth. In reality, failure is one of the greatest teachers we will ever encounter.
It forces us to reassess, refine and grow in ways that success never could. If we learn to embrace failure and become comfortable with starting over, we can unlock the resilience needed to achieve true success.
Failure is not the end, but rather a beginning
It’s easy to view failure as the end of the road, but in reality, it’s often a necessary detour leading us to something better. Every great success story is filled with moments of struggle, mistakes, and even restarts. Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, famously said: “I have not failed. I have just found 10 000 ways that won't work.” This mindset is what separates those who give up from those who eventually succeed.
Instead of fearing failure, we should ask ourselves: What can I learn from this? How can this experience make me stronger? When we reframe failure as an opportunity to grow, we conquer its power to discourage us.
The value of starting over
There’s a misconception that starting over means going backwards. However, sometimes starting fresh is exactly what we need to move forward. Whether it’s a career change, a business venture or a personal goal, beginning again with renewed wisdom and experience can lead to greater success than before.
Renowned author Robert Greene speaks about the power of persistence and focus. He believes that channelling our energy into one goal, rather than spreading ourselves too thin, increases our chances of success. When we are forced to start over, we often return with sharper clarity and a deeper understanding of what truly matters.
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Starting over can be difficult, but as Steve Jobs once said, “You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.” What may feel like a failure today could be the very thing that leads to future success.
Learn from those who came before you
One of the best ways to navigate failure and starting over is by seeking mentorship. As emphasised in The Richest Man in Babylon, learning from those who have walked the path before us can help us to avoid common mistakes and make smarter decisions.
Even the most successful individuals have experienced setbacks. Podcast hosts like Jay Shetty and Steven Bartlett often reflect on their early days, recording content for years without a significant audience. However, their persistence eventually led them to massive success. What seemed like overnight fame was actually the result of patience, repetition and the willingness to fail.
Show up even when no one is watching
The most important thing we can do is continue showing up, regardless of whether we are seeing results or not. Progress is often invisible in the early stages and many people quit before they see the fruits of their labour. The truth is, success is not about avoiding failure, it’s about refusing to let failure stop us.
Michael Jordan, widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, once said, “I have missed more than 9 000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game-winning shot — and missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Failure is not a sign that we should stop, it’s a sign that we are trying, growing and improving. The only true failure is giving up.
Becoming comfortable with failure and starting over is one of the most valuable skills we can develop. The road to success is rarely a straight path; it is filled with twists, turns and obstacles. But every failure carries a lesson and every restart brings new opportunities.
So, if you have failed, take a deep breath and start again. The journey is not over; it’s just beginning.
