Do we need a bit of failure to achieve better results?

I ask this question because I believe everything happens for a reason.  I often feel like a bit of a failure, particularly when it comes to business.  I do have a reasonably successful business, but I have not achieved anywhere near what I intend to achieve, and most people at my age have already made it.  Literally starting all over again at the age of 37 following my separation did not help financially but it did make me re-assess what is important in my life. 

Rather than give in I just keep trying harder.  To me, failure is not an option.  I could have taken the job in finance and lived on a generous salary and we would be financially much better off.  But I did not choose that option.  I chose the more difficult path because I wanted to achieve something for myself.  Small fails along the way are a glitch, a set-back, but it is not going to be what defines me.  And what is failure anyway?

On the weekend I attended my son’s semi-final in representative rugby league.  After 2 years playing representative football for a club that was not ranked very high in the competition, he was fortunate to be chosen to play for one of the best teams in the competition.  For the past 2 years his old team did not win a game, and this year his new team entering the semi-finals in an undefeated position.  He has come a long way with his football in this past year and I am very proud of his dedication to his chosen sport.

But over the weekend something went wrong.  The team didn’t play to their usual standard, Jordan didn’t play to his usual standard, and they lost.  I am not calling this a failure, I am calling this a loss of one game, but the feeling of mild devastation was there. 

Over the past two years we watched countless defeats.  As parents we were still cheering the team on and finding anything positive to encourage our kids.  Step forward a year and as parents we are viewing this one glitch in a totally different way to the positivity of losing in previous years.  But why?  It is all a matter of perspective. 

As athletes, it was impressive to see how quickly these boys could turn their disappointment around and use it as motivation for the game this week.  In business, our mindset is not always so refined.  We dwell on what has happened, what could have happened, what should have happened.  But are we learning from our mistakes and making ourselves better because of it?

As I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, I do believe that everything happens for a reason.  It may not be evident at the time, but if you go with the flow, use the small fails along the way as a lesson, you will come out in a better position.  If I had not failed Macro Economics 2 at university all those years ago, I would not have become an accountant.  I am sure that failure happened for a reason.

Think about your own situation.  What small failures have you had that made a big impact on your life?  How difficult was it to get over and what was the outcome?  Are you now in a better job, a better relationship, or just happier because of the changed situation?  Did it make you a stronger person?

I don’t think there is any successful business person who has not had a few failures along the way, so embrace them with a positive attitude and see what they will bring to you.