I remember hearing everything negative about failure from the time I was young. How failing was terrible, it shouldn’t happen, and how it defines certain people’s lives. Once I grew up and failed repeatedly, I realized these previous beliefs were untrue. 

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Failing forward is the idea that the only way forward is to take a step backwards. This has been the case in nearly every situation I’ve gone through in my life. From being broke in debt, not able to find work, and getting laid off multiple times. 

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I’ve always fallen back a step before I was ready to move on to the next “thing.” The next opportunity and the subsequent triumph. 

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Today I want to discuss why failing forward is necessary for your life. Why it’s necessary to your success. 

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Why Failure is Good

The word “fail” gets a bad rep for a good reason. The definition of failure is a lack of success. 

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So, failure is, in fact, the exact opposite result of success. What is success?

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Success is defined as the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. 

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When you succeed, you accomplish something: a certain income amount, a job title, a new career, buying your first house, getting married, losing weight, writing that book, starting a business, and the list goes on…

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When you fail at something, you might; lose the house, gain more unnecessary weight, get fired, laid off, break off the relationship, lose a bunch of money, and more. 

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I hope clearly defining these terms and listing out the variables gives you a better understanding of the difference between the two. 

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But failure is good for one reason - It tells you what’s working and what’s not. 

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Failure can be used as an indicator. If you do this, then the results are apparent. But if you change what you do, your results will also change. 

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I’ve used failure as a gauge in my life. It’s told me when to pivot, when to make a change when to quit, when to go all-in, and when to take a big risk. 

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With that being said, failure isn’t the roadblock it may initially seem to be. It’s the door. 

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You MUST Fail in Life

If you’re not failing, you’re not trying hard enough. 

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This all leads back to your comfort zone. It’s comfortable…

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Leaving your warm cozy bed in the early morning is tough, right? Getting uncomfortable is a part of growth and a huge part of success. 

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Failing is directly related to success and how far you’re pushing. 

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It’s ok to fail. 

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Understanding this concept is critical to getting that job, earning more money, and living the life of your dreams. If you’re not willing to leave your comfort zone, you’ll fail before you even begin. 

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This leads me to the number one reason people struggle to change.

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The fear of failure.

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The Fear of Failure

The fear of failure is the killer of all dreams, goals, aspirations, motives, and drives in life. 

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It’s left millions of people standing still instead of taking action. It’s left even more regretful for years and decades of their lives. 

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Most people are afraid to get started because of a massive fear of failure. 

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This fear often stems from associating failure with a “bad thing,” as I discussed at the beginning of this post. 

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Here’s how you can overcome this fear:

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• Reframe failure as a “bad thing” to a necessary tool
• Use failure as an indicator of what’s working and what isn’t
• Know that failure is the door, not the roadblock, to everything and anything you desire

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I’m pretty certain everyone on earth fears failure to some degree. While some will have more risk tolerance, it paralyzes too many. 

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Learning from Your Failures

Here is the ultimate takeaway of this entire post: highlight it, write it down, and memorize it:

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“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” -Albert Einstein

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Learning from your failures is undoubtedly the most crucial tool you want in your toolbox. If you don’t learn from your failures, you will keep making the same mistakes and get the same results…

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This is why regular reviews should be incorporated for your weeks, months, quarters, and years—a review covering the basics of what you’re doing and trying to achieve. 

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Go over what’s working, what’s not working, and why. 

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This simple review will lead to information on what to change, adjust, and move on. 

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Don’t let Failure Define You

Lastly, just because you failed once, twice, five times, ten times, or one hundred times… That doesn’t mean YOU are a failure. 

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Failing to launch, failing to start, failing to quit, failing to stop. It doesn’t matter what the situation is. You need to keep your head high and move on. 

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If you start to think of yourself as a failure because three things you tried back to back aren’t working, stop. 

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Take a step back, breath, and know that you’re getting closer and closer to success. Your previous failures are slowly getting you the experience, knowledge, and expertise you need. 

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Conclusion

Failing forward is necessary to live. And you will fail many, many times in your life. 

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Let’s face it plans change. What you once thought was the “perfect idea” in your head doesn’t pan out. And that’s ok. 

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Understanding the concept that failure isn’t a bad thing, but it’s necessary to move forward. Failure is a good thing. 

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It gives you critical feedback on your project, job, and life. 

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Failing is part of growth; every successful person has failed many times. 

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Don’t let the fear of failure hold you in your tracks. Regret feels much worse than failing…

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If you’re afraid to make a change, I want to talk to you. Having the right help in place and the right team will get you where you need to go. 

I’m currently offering a complimentary 45-minute Career Strategy Session. If you’re someone who’s looking to make a job change, then book a call now. 

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Chris M Wilson