College is filled with unfamiliar situations, challenges, and setbacks. The study habits that got you through four years of high school, or the athleticism that earned you a spot on a varsity team have created you a strong foundation. However, college pushes us far beyond these simple abilities. Over and over again you may feel as though you have failed. Each time it may take on a different form, make you feel a different way, but something it will never be is the end of the world. To succeed and to grow we must learn to fail and learn from failure. We cannot be afraid to fail because if we are, we will never step outside of our comfort zones. So why is failure okay when all it feels like is the world crumbling beneath you?
You will learn from it. Whether it be an answer on a test, a rejection from an internship or a workout that you struggled with, the feeling will stay with you and you will be able to create a different approach going forward.
You will gain a new perspective. Maybe you will now be able to see the situation through the eyes of someone who may be struggling more than you or gain new insight on your own stance. Either way you have learned to view the situation differently than you did before.
You will be able to get the help you need to move forward. You will learn through failure that there are resources for you to help you avoid repeating yourself.
It means you took a chance – or challenged yourself. You decided to try something that was unfamiliar, and the outcome was not what you had hoped for or expected. That is okay. The value of failure comes from those moments in which you simply tried your best.
You will grow. As a student, an athlete or a mentor, but also as a person.
You will learn that you were never alone. While you were struggling, feeling isolated is inevitable. But once you have experienced failure and reflected, you will learn that you were never alone. This will change how you approach challenges in the future.
Finally, you will test your own strength. A single setback cannot destroy your world without your permission. Never give in to that voice inside your head that may be telling you to give up. You are stronger than that. Believe in yourself – the simple value of remaining positive will help overcome failure every time.
Photos: The Odyssey