By Marilyn C. Arayata
WAS it Benjamin Franklin who once shared that he paid too much for a whistle when he was a child? Perhaps many of us also paid too much “for a whistle” – at least once in our lives – unless we are too proud to admit it. There is one among us who had spent too much for a dress that easily went out of style. Another had spent a big amount for a bag that was hardly used or fitness equipment that was seldom touched. Who among us had invested a considerable amount in a business that never prospered or towards the achievement of a dream that proves to be elusive until now?
Practical people and non-risk takers would say something valuable was wasted. Nobody denies that, but nothing in this world is guaranteed. You have to sacrifice one thing in order to gain another. And even if you give your all – your time, talents, and treasure, there is no guarantee of success. At least you tried. You will not waste the rest of your life thinking of chances you did not take.
If you failed at something, it does not mean you are a failure. The experience was an opportunity to learn. What insights and realizations did you get from it? It helped mold you into the person you are now – braver, but more careful and discerning, a better planner, sensitive to people’s needs, and humble. The learning opportunity was probably bitter, but it has made you better!
American basketball player LeBron James said, “You can’t be afraid to fail. It’s the only way you succeed – you’re not gonna succeed all the time, and I know that.”
Lynda Resnick, an American billionaire entrepreneur, also stressed the value of learning from failures: “You will learn more from your failures than your successes – so embrace those mistakes, as difficult as that sounds, and grow from them. When a project is successful, you’re never really sure why, because so many elements come into play.
However, when you fail, you always know why. That is how you learn and grow.”
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