The Permission to Feel Failure

Don’t get me wrong, failing sucks. Being let go from your job with a 2 week old at home and not knowing what’s going to happen next is incredibly difficult. But just as the GOAT, Michael Jordan, once said, “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

I am by no means comparing myself to Michael Jordan. I’m slow, can’t create off the dribble, and sure as heck can’t jump (although I do stick out my tongue when concentrating). But where I can connect with him is the lens through which I SEE failure.

For all intents and purposes, let’s look at Websters definition of the word Fail — “to fall short, to leave undone, to lose strength, to be unsuccessful” Practically speaking that is being turned down on your 5th job interview; pouring your blood, sweat, and tears into a book only for it to be turned down; having to shut down your business; not being able to buy groceries, etc… Failing leaves you feeling utterly helpless.

Before you do anything else, I am urging you to GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO FEEL. Feel that hurt and pain of failing. Let it sink in that you did not hit your goal or accomplish what you set out for. Because feeling that will cause you to never want to go back there again. That same pain will be the reason for your success.

ACTION STEP: Next time you fail, whether it’s being cut from your Middle School Basketball Team or Being Let Go From Your Job, set an alarm for no more than 24 hours. Use that time to FEEL that failure and let it hit you that you in fact failed. But once that alarm goes off, it is go time. Use that failure to bring on success