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Failure is a gift. Really?

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Failure is a gift. Really?

 

The scientific method is the best way to conduct objective research. So we think. Lets pretend you are conducting an experiment. You do some research to educate yourself about a particular topic, and then you make a hypothesis. Next, you set up an experiment in the most objective way possible to prove your hypothesis. Right? The next thing to happen is an analysis of your results. What happens when your results do not match what you believed would happen? What if your results disprove your hypothesis?

 

When this happens, some people say, “Huh. That's interesting!”

 

Although that sounds great, this reaction is not a normal one.

 

When we disprove something we previously believed to be true, we tend to do three things...

1. Disbelieve the analysis and run it again - blame it on a flawed process

2. Consider the entire experiment a failure

3. Choose to believe the hypothesis anyway, just because you know you are right

 

Can you think of a time your beliefs were proven wrong? What did you do? Did you ask for more evidence? Consider yourself a failure? Continue to believe you are true, despite the evidence?

 

Rarely, do we say, “Huh. That's interesting!”

 

Instead of viewing the “failure” as one of the three options above, try viewing the new evidence in a new light. Try saying, “Huh. That's interesting!” A failure has a wealth of information hiding in it!

 

Here are just a few things we can learn from failure:

1. Failure tests our character strength

2. We are not perfect. Surprise!

3. The greatest form of self-respect is honoring what the process of life teaches us

4. Failure is not the end of the world; the world will continue spinning around the sun even with the biggest of mistakes

5. Failure is a gift: it shows us what way NOT to go

6. Failure teaches us the true meaning of gratitude

 

What was the last lesson you learned from failure?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Much Joy, Sybil R Smith www.sybilrsmith.com

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justlinda 10 pts

I think you nailed what is, for me, the most important aspect of the gift of failure - you learn it's not the end of the world, that you can bounce back.  And once you know that, you're more willing to try something again, take a risk, take a chance.  Because you know that failure doesn't kill or even mame (unless it's a sky-diving failure - then all bets are off!)

Once you know you can handle failing, you increase your likelihood of succeeding.  That is why failure is a gift.

JustLinda

 fabulously imperfect Nothing to See Here... Just Linda ( http://justlinda.net )

Twitter @JustLindaSTL ( http://twitter.com/JustLindaSTL )