How to Change Your Perspective on Mistakes and See Failure as a Learning Opportunity

Photo by Michael Dziedzic on Unsplash

Let’s face it: you and I both know that failing doesn’t feel good. The sting of disappointment, the embarrassment, the dent to our self-confidence — they’re all part and parcel of this unwelcome experience. But what if I told you that failure isn’t necessarily the dead-end it appears to be? Instead, it could be your pathway to growth and learning.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “Failures are the stepping stones to success.” As cliché as it sounds, there is profound truth in these words.

Life is not always about getting it right the first time. Magic happens when you stumble, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and learn to do better.

When I first started embracing failure, it was hard to accept that I hadn’t succeeded at something I had put effort into. But then, I realized that failure is not the end — it’s just a temporary setback.

For instance, when I started learning to ride a bike, I fell countless times, and saw my sister and cousins master the riding skills with such ease, but it was not the same for me. Every time I fell, I failed, but instead of feeling discouraged, I kept on trying, kept on telling myself that I can do it, no matter how long it takes, and finally I succeeded.

The first step in embracing failure is learning to accept it.

I know it’s not easy to accept it but remember this — everyone fails. No one achieves success on their first attempt. If someone does, it’s merely luck.

The key difference is how they respond to failure. They don’t let it define them. Instead, they accept it, learn from it, and use it as fuel to drive them towards success.

When you make a mistake, it’s tempting to brush it under the rug, pretend it didn’t happen, and move on.

But when you do this, you miss out on an important learning opportunity. Every mistake you make is a lesson waiting to be learned.

Ask yourself, “What can I learn from this?” Do this and you will shift your perspective. It will help you see the value in your mistakes.