The Five Gifts of Failure

Let's talk about failing! A couple of days ago was the first time since I started on my powerlifting journey that I've stumbled and fallen, and I think it may have helped!

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I was squatting (everyone loves squats!), focusing on my depth, keeping my chest up, pushing into the bar, keeping myself balanced, and before I knew it, my knees were hitting the floor in slow motion.

I'm not hurt, just a scraped knee, a few sore joints, and a bruised ego.

I sat on the floor dumbfounded for a few moments trying to figure out what had happened. I was more scared of the idea of falling than actually falling.

After I composed myself, I got back up and finished my squats and the remainder of my workout.

Failure can be a beautiful teacher if you let it.

Failure means that you're trying. To get better, you have to keep trying new and different things.

Failure also allows us to see the progress that we've made and the opportunity to respond differently next time.​

Failure reminds us that it's okay to fail. Failure is inevitable. Failure teaches us how to react safely and gracefully under challenging times. Preparing for all circumstances helps us to address them when they do arise.

And finally, failure shows us that it's not the end of the world. Most of the time, the fear of failure is worse than failing. Failing shows us what occurs, while the story that we've made up in our head about failure is exponentially worse than the act itself.

How have you learned from your perceived failures? I would love to hear about it in the comments below! 

Love,
​Arielle Sterling