Failure is often seen through a negative lens and is frequently feared by people. Everyone faces failure at some point, and I believe it can be good and beneficial, rather than something completely negative. Failure can be used to build a better mentality and take further steps towards success, instead of being a burden.
According to the National Library of Medicine, failure leads to emotional responses such as depression, anxiety, and stress. Further, there has been research that proves rumination (the repetitive, often negative thought process of dwelling on past events), about failure intensifies the emotions failure brings. These facts prove why many people’s experiences with failing turn out to be completely negative. In order to combat these emotions and experiences, a different approach and mindset is needed when processing an attempt at success.
“In high school, I focused on my tumbling ability with hopes of making varsity cheerleading, but I broke my arm before the day of tryouts,” English teacher Katie Barnes said. “I was upset I didn’t make varsity because I wasn’t able to tumble, but I did meet my best friend on junior varsity.”
Instead of dwelling on not making varsity cheerleading, a different approach was taken when processing the emotions associated. A life-long best friend was made on junior varsity, and that was the focus for Barnes. A perspective change when failure occurs can be difficult, but with lots of practice, the fear of trying new things dwindles.
“In psychology, there are two types of motivations: avoidant and approach,” writer Emily Boynton said. “Sometimes you want to do things to avoid negative outcomes, and sometimes you do things because you want to achieve positive outcomes.”
In an article from the University of Washington, Boynton discusses how the fear of failure can affect one’s willingness to try new things. Trying new things is essential to everyone’s life, as it is how we grow as people and as a society. If people practice avoidant behavior because they fear failure, nothing will ever get done. Failure is certain. We should embrace and learn from failure rather than avoid it all together. Practicing the “approach behavior” initiates us to try new things. Fearing failure is common, especially among youth, but it is important to not let it hold people back.
“I’ve experienced a lot of failure through playing basketball,” junior Brandon Bodden said. “I deal with failure by taking it one step at a time, and keeping a positive attitude.”
Bodden has played basketball all throughout high school and has faced many challenges along the way. Just like anyone else, especially athletes, the fear of failure kept him from playing to his best ability. Sports are a great example of how important having a positive mindset is. No one is ever perfect in games or at practice, if one focuses on the mistakes one makes, one’s mental health and esteem are going to take a turn for the worse. This has been proved in many different studies such as the earlier one by the National Library of Medicine focusing on rumination. Focusing on improving gameplay and learning from mistakes is the only way to break away from dwelling on errors.
“I want to succeed so bad that I become afraid of failing,” NBA star LeBron James said. “That’s one of my biggest obstacles.”
LeBron has played in the NBA since 2003 and has made a name for himself as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He is the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, and has won four NBA championships. Despite the fame and accomplishments, he too still fears failing more than anything. LeBron is one example that it doesn’t matter what has been accomplished, failure affects everybody in some way or another.
“I’ve learned that I truthfully hate failing, but it does teach me important lessons such as setting realistic goals, patience, and most importantly, problem solving,” Isabella K. said.
In an article published by The New York Times, high school students were interviewed about their past failures and what they took away from their experiences and Isabella was one of these students. Failure among young adults is especially important because how one learns to handle those experiences affects oneself moving forward. Many teenagers may be too embarrassed or not have the maturity to speak about experiences that may have been embarrassing, but the adolescents interviewed, like Isabella, showed that they recognize progress, not just failure.
“Failure can mean innovation, and progress,” Isabella K. said.
