Sometimes, the fear of failure makes you hesitant to try new things. Often, the most powerful feelings you’ve experienced are those that come after a perceived failure. The question of, “What if I fail again?” can hinder you in the future.

Consider changing your perspective and try seeing failure from the other side. What if you were to look at failure in a positive way instead of a negative one? How could this benefit you? 

Think about the following benefits of failing:

1.      You may try something new in the process. You’re unable to be an expert on all things. Each day, you gain knowledge as new people enter your life and new items are invented.

• When you try something for the first time, it might not work out. That’s okay. Think about how that new experience will benefit you in the future.

• When you make a concerted effort, you can still be proud of yourself.

2.      You gain new knowledge. Perhaps you joined a book club, but didn’t really enjoy attending the meetings. However, you did read the first few assigned books. You learned about South Africa and several other topics you didn’t know about previously.

• The key is to figure out what you learned from a less-than-successful event.

3.      You can make a personal discovery. For example, maybe as you were trying to salvage a previous relationship, you realized that you often sacrifice your own needs to keep a partner around.

• It was good for you to learn that lesson. Since that last break-up, you’ve been more in touch with what you truly want and can now communicate more effectively with your new partner.

•  You discovered some very important self-knowledge that will enrich your life.

4.      You may encounter new people that you’re glad you found. During the process of failure at work or in your social life, you’re likely to forge new relationships. You can now celebrate a new friendship.

• The situation you labeled as a “failure,” was likely worth the relationship you gained.

5.      You realize what’s truly important. We all strive to determine what matters to us. And when you experience failure, you can sometimes discover what’s most important in your life. Arriving at that realization will help you from this point forward.

6.      You’ll likely get another chance. If you never acknowledge an error, you’ll never know the incredible feeling you get from correcting your mistake. Knowing that you were able to rectify a previous misstep will bring you great confidence and personal satisfaction.

7.      Your future decisions will be more informed. You have valuable insight and can proceed with clarity due to your previous mistakes. When a similar incident arises, you might react by thinking, “Been there, done that.” Hopefully, you won’t make the same mistake twice.  

It’s true that making mistakes in your life can actually be helpful. They can provide you with knowledge about yourself and how you want to proceed in life. Looking back on your experiences that were less than fruitful at the time will bear fruit for you in the future. Embrace your errors and blossom!