Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Famous Failure


I will always remember the white board in my geometry class.  It said: If you've never failed, you've never tried anything new.  My first impression was that failure was bad because failure makes you a loser.  I don't want to be a loser.  That's embarrassing!  I always received good grades since I was middle school.  That's why I couldn't understand that failure was "good".  If anyone asked me what failures I experienced, then I either shrugged or shook my head.  I had no experience of failure.

During my senior year, I came to my sense how failure could be good.  I took AP Government & Economic class, and I knew that it would be a challenge.  I did well on a test except the essay questions.  I got a "F" on the essay, and that hurt me so much.  I thought I should quit this class because I would avoid bad grades on my report card.  I gave up easily because I was sensitive to failure.  My interpreter encouraged me to continue to take this class because it was only third week of the first semester.  She was probably right because it was too early for me to predict how I was doing in that class in future.  I decided not to quit, and later I did well on tests with essay questions because I changed my method of studying.  I recognized my failure and adjusted my strategy.

We need to recognize our failures what we try to accomplish because we would know what to do better next time by using our experience.  It is okay to fail--nothing is wrong with it--because it gives us experience.  Failure can lead to success, you know that?  For example, Dr. Suess's first book was rejected by 27 publishers, and then 28th publisher approved it.  He didn't give up, that's his success.  What's yours?

5 comments:

  1. Do you feel that the famous failures video motivated you?

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    1. I enjoyed watching this video because I did not know that those people experienced with their failures. They did not give up :) Maybe not motivated, but more like remembering my failure. It is more connection.

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  2. I liked the video because making mistakes and learning from my mistakes puts me in good company. The video reminds me that what looks like a failure, set back, or mistep doesn't have to stop me. My misteps can make me sad or angry in the moment, but according to the examples in the video, I've gotta keep steppin' if I want to achieve (as long as I learn from my mistakes, or course!).

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    1. True. Misstep can make us feel that way. It does not last longer because we move on when we learn. You are right.

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