The Success of Failure

I began competing in the long jump as a junior for the Jaguars of Athens Drive High School. From that point, do you know how many years it took for me to win my first gold medal in a major international competition? Eleven.

You know what was going on during that time? I was training my butt off and trying my best but coming up just short of my goal of winning gold.

What kept me going was knowing that one day, if I kept working and trying, I would stand at the top of the podium. Not only did I realize that I would stand on the top step, but I knew that there would be some failures along the way.

It’s okay to fail. All the most profitable and successful people in the world have failed at some point. And yet, we’re conditioned to believe that it’s a problem when we fall short.

You’re going to fail at something in life. That is inevitable, but you cannot quit. Failure paves the way to a better life.

I urge you to point out those moments when you fail. Shed light on it and then figure out a way to overcome it. Right that wrong. Don’t be afraid. Don’t feel embarrassed.

It is through failure that we’re able to realize our wildest dreams.