Lesson 12: Embrace your failures

We’ve all been there—standing at the crossroads of expectation and reality, watching as our dreams crumble and wondering where it all went wrong. But here's the truth: failure is not the opposite of success; it’s a stepping stone toward it.

This lesson hit me hard when I was working on a project I was passionate about—hosting a hackathon. I had grand ideas, reached out to people for advice, and poured my heart into the planning process. But despite all my efforts, it didn’t work out. At first, it stung. I felt like I had let myself down. Yet, looking back, that "failure" was one of my greatest teachers.

Failures force us to evaluate what went wrong. They strip us of ego and compel us to adapt. My failed hackathon taught me how to better approach planning, how to seek advice while trusting my instincts, and most importantly, how to persevere. Each failure gives us something—a lesson, a skill, a new perspective—and those are far more valuable than avoiding failure altogether.

There’s a saying I keep close: “You either win, or you learn.” Every setback is a learning curve, equipping you for the next challenge.

Think of failure as the universe redirecting you. Every "no" I received while pitching the hackathon was preparing me for a better "yes" down the line. It’s easy to feel defeated in the moment, but what matters is how you rise afterward.

Failure is inevitable, but how we respond to it defines us. Embrace it. Learn from it. And remember, every successful person has a story filled with failures. Those failures are what make the success taste even sweeter.

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” — Henry Ford

So, don’t fear your failures. Celebrate them. They are proof that you’re trying, learning, and moving forward.