According to the results of three experiments conducted by French researchers, “telling children that it is okay to fail at school can actually help them do better academically.” The experiments were conducted by Frederique Autin and Jean-Claude Croizet of the University of Poitiers and the National Center for Scientific Research in Poitiers, France. The American Psychological Association published the report of this experiment in the Journal of Experimental Psychology.

Today everyone is obsessed with success, and people are afraid of failure. Fear of failure is making people hesitant to try new things. However, the truth is failure is an important part of learning. Only failure can teach you how to succeed, and give you courage to try daring feat. Without failing, you will never learn the art of innovation.

Failure is Normal

Here is an old story you may have read, but here is a reminder.

Once English King Arthur lost his kingdom in war and ran for his life. He took a refuge in a hut. He stared at the wall and tried to focus his thought. Suddenly Arthur spotted a spider trying to climb the wall. Just on the half way, spider lost its control and fell down. After a while, the spider began to climb the wall again, and it fell again when it was on the half way. The spider failed multiple times but did not give up. Lo and behold! The spider finally climbed the wall.  It was okay for the spider to fail, because it was ready to try again. King Arthur learned a lesson that it was okay to fail. He gathered his army and went to fight.

Reasons Why it is Okay to Fail

You may be punished for your failure, however, if you worry about the punishment you will never try new things. If you don’t try, you will not learn. How do you think you can succeed without learning new things?

Many people simply avoid taking risks because they are afraid of failure. However, failure is also a learning process. Failure will teach you the value of success and how it can be achieved.

When you fail, you will learn how cope with difficulties and move on. Your failure will teach you to invent another way to succeed.

Failure is the mother of innovations. Think about all those scientists who failed hundreds of times and finally invented the machine we have today. Invention did not occur in a first attempt, the person behind the invention had failed many times.

Failure and success are two faces of a coin. You want to succeed; however, you must accept that failure is also a part of your life. Success does not mean avoiding failure. Success does not imply absence of failure.

When you fail, look back and try to find out what you overlooked, what you missed. If you can analyze your failure, you will learn how to avoid the mistakes when you are doing it next time.

Most of the people believe that if they fail, they become an inadequate person, a not so smart person, a not good enough person. When they are stuck with this belief, they stop taking risks in life, they stop doing new things, and slowly they become a failure. The only way to avoid failure is to have a firm belief in “it is okay to fail” and keep on trying.

If you fail, there is nothing wrong in you. Learn how failures can be help you find success in your life.

The Truth about Success and Failure: Success is not Lack of Failure

In order to know about the truth behind success and failure, please take a moment to answer these questions

When you fail to do something, what do you do?

1. I try to do it in better way next time.
2. I avoid doing it and look for other things.

If you chose #1, you are not afraid of failure. However, if you chose #2, you are very afraid of failure.

Here’s another question.

If you fail, how long does it take to recover?

1. In few days
2. In a week
3. In a month
4. In six months
5. I never recover

Hopefully, you will provide answer in the comment box.