Benefits of Failure

Today I came across the commencement speech by JK Rowling for Harvard grads in 2008.  The entire speech was phenomenal. In particular, her story around failure.

I’ll start with this quote she said from Plutarch because this is the key to why you want to learn how to fail.

“What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.”  

I interpret this quote through my filter as a coach to mean this:

If you want to have a life and career on your terms, you need to overcome your internal blindspots, and beliefs—especially around failure, perfection, taking action, and changes.

When you achieve this inward awareness then you’ll have a complete different experience in your outer life. Let’s talk about how I can support you in your journey.

I want to share some of my favorite lines with my two cents added:

“There’s an expiration date for how long you can blame your parents for the path you took.” Yes, it’s time to enter into emotional adulthood.

"When you leave college you’re driven by fear of failure.”  So true, because life is really a blank slate at this point and the new routine is on you to create.

"Failure meant I had to strip away the inessential.”  Failing is the path to success, you figure out what to add and take away along the way.

"Stop pretending you’re anything that you’re not, (or better put… that you think you should be) and direct all your energy to what you want.”  The art of being vulnerable - showing up as you are with no guarantees.

“Having talent, intelligence doesn’t mean your void of having fear of failure.”  It’s natural to feel this at the beginning of every new venture in your life…new job, new position, new project, a 10k race, a marriage, etc.

"It is impossible to live without failure at something in your life.”  Agree, perfection doesn’t exist anywhere in this world.

"You can fail by default if you don’t try.”  I’ve said this before you’re literally failing your success by not trying because you’re so afraid.

“Rock bottom solid foundation of which you can rebuild your life.”  Failure can be a wake up call, and where you’re brought to place where it can’t get any worse BUT this is where your most honest creation will come from and possibly your biggest success.“

You don’t die from falling but it makes you see who you are.” Failure is just an uncomfortable feeling in the body that you need to learn how to process.

Watch the entire JK Rowling speech here.