Failure is a gift. Really?

Failure is a gift. Really?

The scientific method is the best way to conduct objective research. So we think. Lets pretend you are conducting an experiment. You do some research to educate yourself about a particular topic, and then you make a hypothesis. Next, you set up an experiment in the most objective way possible to prove your hypothesis. Right? The next thing to happen is an analysis of your results. What happens when your results do not match what you believed would happen? What if your results disprove your hypothesis?

When this happens, some people say, “Huh. That's interesting!”

Although that sounds great, this reaction is not a normal one.

When we disprove something we previously believed to be true, we tend to do three things...
1. Disbelieve the analysis and run it again - blame it on a flawed process
2. Consider the entire experiment a failure
3. Choose to believe the hypothesis anyway, just because you know you are right

Can you think of a time your beliefs were proven wrong? What did you do? Did you ask for more evidence? Consider yourself a failure? Continue to believe you are true, despite the evidence?

Rarely, do we say, “Huh. That's interesting!”

Instead of viewing the “failure” as one of the three options above, try viewing the new evidence in a new light. Try saying, “Huh. That's interesting!” A failure has a wealth of information hiding in it!

Here are just a few things we can learn from failure:
1. Failure tests our character strength
2. We are not perfect. Surprise!
3. The greatest form of self-respect is honoring what the process of life teaches us
4. Failure is not the end of the world; the world will continue spinning around the sun even with the biggest of mistakes
5. Failure is a gift: it shows us what way NOT to go
6. Failure teaches us the true meaning of gratitude

What was the last lesson you learned from failure?