26A- Celebrate Failure

1) Tell us about a time this past semester that you failed -- whether in this class, or outside of this class. Don't spare any details! It'd be even better if there was something you tried several times this semester, and failed each time. 

Being a former baseball player, I have experienced failure many times. In a game where only the very best batters will fail, some 7 times out of 10 and be an All-Star, baseball is a game of failure. Through long hours of practice and many tough games, I experienced failure quite a bit growing up. This adversity through athletics made me a stronger minded person and I am forever grateful for these experiences, both the failures and the successes. 

2) Tell us what you learned from it.

It took awhile for me to accept the idea that baseball could be a game of failure. There were many times I beat myself up after many tough games and didn’t give myself enough credit when I had a great one. Being a perfectionist in the game of baseball is not possible, and realizing that made me a much better player. I have grown from these experiences and become a stronger person from these failures. From playing a game of pickup basketball, Intramural sports or a video game, understanding that failing is okay is important for the mental longevity of these activities. 

3) Reflect, in general, on what you think about failure. Failure is hard, isn't it? It's embarrassing, sure, but it also means that we have to change something about ourselves. Talk about how you handle failure (emotionally, behaviorally). Finally, talk about how this class has changed your perspective on failure -- are you more likely to take a risk now than you were just a few months ago?

I think that failure is almost an essential part of success. Much of the reading in this class has shown that those who have failed many times have been able to succeed. When reading about these very successful people, we often realize that failure is almost inevitable and it is inspiring for many. This class has allowed me to realize that this is the route that many entrepreneurs will take on their road to success. It is important to learn from these failures and use them to fuel your success. Many failures are followed by eventual successes, and realizing why these failures happened and learning from these experiences is a vital part of success and something that I look forward to going through the thick and thin of my entrepreneurial experiences.