Embracing Failure on the Path to Success Requires One Ingredient
Most people won’t embrace failure on their path to seek success. Most people choose opportunities that limit their chances of failure, and rightfully so. Failure is painful.
However, on the path to success pain is often a requirement. As renowned sport psychologist Dr. Michael Gervais reminds people so often:
The reason people change is because of pain.
It’s a bold statement, but being honest with your pain and embracing being uncomfortable = change and growth 📈
— Dr. Michael Gervais (@michaelgervais) November 21, 2019
(A segment from @impact_theory with @TomBilyeu) pic.twitter.com/zVEG7xl8Z1
If you didn’t have to change on the path to success, then you would already be a success. Therefore, consistently making choices that allow you to avoid the pain of failure is also a choice to limit your success.
With that said, failure is not part of the process on the path to success, it is the process. Nevertheless, knowing this doesn’t make the pain of failure hurt less. Failure always hurts and it’s always emotionally draining. So, the only consolation prize for failing is the experience that creates your path to success.
If the experience is bad, then failing feels even worse. Moreover, if that experience is so bad that it causes you to quit then failing is pointless. On the other hand, if the experience inspires you, then that failure is worth it.
This is a simple yet profound insight. The difference between doing something you love and doing something you hate are like night and day. When you get to do something you love, you wake up early, you stay up late, and hard work is effortless. On the other hand, when you have to do something you hate, nothing comes easy, every little thing is painful, and time drags on and on to no end.
Therefore, if you must embrace failure on the path to success, then the one ingredient you need is to embrace it in the context of something you enjoy doing regardless of the outcome.