7 Reasons Why You Need To Fail To Move Forward

In life, challenges will hit us in the face and sucker punch us in any areas that may be left open.

However, what do the challenges, failures, and upsets that we face really mean?

Do we really need to fail to succeed?

Take this journey with me.

Some of these suggestions will not sit well with you at first.

But keep an open mind, because there is a great lesson to be shared.

Reasons Why You Need To Fail To Succeed and Move Forward In Life

1. You needed the failure.

Failure is a necessity to life.

Dozens of businesses and companies would not be where they are today without it.

Yahoo told both Larry and Sergey, the founders of Google, that their idea would never make it.

That they “didn’t need another search engine.”

The founder of WhatsApp wanted to work for Facebook, but they denied him.

Later, you would find out that Facebook would end up buying Whats App for 19 Billion!

The failure pushed them to create, rejection didn’t push them to quit.

It pushed them to create something of their own despite who disagreed with the concept.

Sometimes, you will need to fail in order to realize that you must bet on your own strengths, NOT the strengths of others.

2. It’s not your time yet.

I have been running a motivational lifestyle brand and T-shirt company for the last seven years.

It wasn’t until year seven that we would get our first big feature with Essence and Own Network.

Seven years!?!?!?!

Trust me: I wanted the props and accolades back when I first started.

However, I had to prove my worth first.

I too, had to fail to succeed.

Before I could be paid to speak, I had to speak to crowds of 10, 15, 25.

Slowly but surely, the numbers grew.

I had to do a lot of things for free.

I gave away a lot of my time and energy.

It’s not because I am not great at what I do.

I just needed to show my work.

Even with seven years of running my business, it may take another 10 years to make it to the Forbes.

Despite the delays, I know my time will come.

So next time you don’t get that raise or promotion, don’t be sour about it.

Work harder.

Ask questions.

Take classes online, or go to conferences.

Improve.

Sharpen your tools.

All these things will allow you to accomplish a little more than you did yesterday.

3. You had to learn a lesson…

Who have you consulted about your goals and dreams?

Have you spoken to a higher power or God?

Have you talked with your mentors, parents, counselors?

Have you really sought guidance before making the decision of a lifetime?

There is nothing wrong with taking the leap.

However, you took the leap prematurely, which led you to fail.

This outcome showed that you needed to learn a lesson.

You needed to fall on your face because you thought you could do it all alone.

Sometimes, you just need to fail to succeed.

You needed this lesson because you thought you could put in half the work and see the big results.

Yes, I know this level of honesty stings a bit.

Yet, it’s the truth!

When I was a kid, I loved swinging on things around the house.

It wasn’t until my shower curtain broke and hit my head on the cold, hard tile that I realized that I shouldn’t be doing this.

I now have a scar in the back of my head for the rest of my life.

I realized then, that I can’t do whatever I want, when I want to do it.

We all have failures; but we must view them as lessons that we must learn on the journey to success.

4. …So that you can teach others.

I lost my mom to breast cancer at a very young age.

At first, I took everything so rough.

Life was just unbearable.

That is, until I met another person who lost their mom – and I was able to be there for them.

For me, it had been a few years.

But I was able to be an ear for that friend who was battling with a recent loss.

I shared my thoughts on how I was able to accept it and how it drove me to do better with my life.

They listened because they knew I had gone through a similar situation.

My thoughts and the advice had a great impact due to the fact that I could relate.

What about those battling with drug and alcohol addictions?

They may need the advice from someone who has beaten the addiction themselves.

Now, no one is saying you need to damage or harm yourself to be able to teach others; but, there are many times where you listen to someone simply because, “they know your struggle.”

Getting advice from a doctor or a psychologist can be very helpful.

But there is still value from listening to someone who has been in the same deep dark hole that you have been in.

Your lessons can empower someone who is currently battling through a tough time.

5. Failure pushes you to create.

Through tough times, we often create beautiful things.

I am positive that the art and music we digest daily came from some form of failure.

Your favorite band or artist needed that heartbreak.

They needed to get that record deal stolen from them.

They needed to be laughed out of the art gallery.

Those moments made them go back into their shells and truly form their best work.

They needed to fail to succeed.

Challenges push us to create even the best versions of ourselves.

Your biggest failure can serve as the reason why you are inspired to change and chase your wildest dreams.

This may not only be good for you, but also for the people around you.

6. You needed the challenge.

For some, they have always had it easy.  

Money comes easy.

Relationships come easy.

They are great at networking and everything under the sun.

Therefore, their growth is almost stagnant.

This is why you need difficulty.

You need difficulty to press you to be better and/or stronger.

For example: when exercising, you need to increase the reps and weights.

You need to make a few more changes in order to see better results for your body.

The challenge that you are putting your body through will truly be the reason why you see the change you are hoping for.

Yet, if you slack off and take the easy road, you can’t expect true change.

Allow yourself to be pushed.

Get some accountability partners around you.

Your lows push you to do better when you are at your highest points.

That couldn’t happen without being tested and put through more rigorous challenges.

Try to fail to succeed.

7. Pay it forward.

Every lesson we gain is to be used to improve not only ourselves, but also others around us.

As someone builds us up, let us take that time to build up others.

Next time someone lets you skip in the grocery store, or covers your meal at a restaurant, pay it forward.

The same can be applied towards working with the youth.

If you were groomed and had a mentor in your life, then you should be a mentor for someone else.

Even if you didn’t have a mentor, be that person for someone else.

It could be a new colleague who just started with your company, or the intern on his or her first day!

They may need some of the lessons you learned when you first began, so that they don’t make the same mistakes.

To accept all of the blessings that you have in your life and not give to others is selfish.

With everything you do, look out for the next man or woman.

This lesson may be the most valuable one!

Don’t take it lightly.