Failure is not an option. We've all heard or said that cliche many times. But let's analyze the power in that statement that for just a second. If there was never a failure, would there ever be a success? I think it's safe to say that cliche doesn't make sense. Failure in finality is not an option, but it should always be an option in the process of learning.
Take WD-40 for example, which is the most perfect example of what happens when failure is an option. WD-40 is product that would have had no future if it weren't for failure. In fact, WD-40 exists today in almost every household because there were 39 failures before the 40th attempt made it one of the most successful products in America. Failure is always an option.
Sell the Fail
If we want students and educators to believe in success, our first priority is to sell the power in failure. If we want students to grow, they have to understand that failure is part of the path toward growth.
That means we need to increase the number of attempts or at-bats at learning in the classroom. The more they fail, the more they they will ultimately excel.
In order to sell the power of failing, we must motivate students to fail and fail often. The most important part of failing is not the act of missing the mark. It is the act of overcoming the setback by learning from the failure.
Fail into Success
If we want students to experience the highest levels of success, we must inspire them to believe that failure is success in the making. We must tell them stories of successful failures, and the best examples of failure for students are examples of our own personal failures. When students know their teacher has failed and turned it around into success, they will develop a great belief in failure and it's purpose in becoming success.
Babe Ruth is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time. He established numerous home run records in his career. The one fact that most people don't know is that many times he had the highest number of home runs in a season accompanied by the highest number of strikeouts in that same season. The greater the failures, the greater the success.
The Fail Challenge
This week challenge yourself to challenge your students to fail and fail often. It is the best lesson they will ever receive on how to turn any minor setback into a major comeback.
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