Let’s talk ‘failure ratio’. Don’t look at me like that. Trust me, failure ratio is a real thing: as real as unicorn lattes may be.

What failure ratio is, effectively, can be summarise as proactively deciding how much failure you are willing to accept before having a breakthrough. Some people have to fail six, seven, eight times to find that one thing that really works for them.

Failure sucks – massively.

However (here’s the catch) people will mostly remember your successes: behind every success there’s a list of failures, as each and every single one will take you closer to what you need in order to succeed.

To inspire you with this, I am sharing three positive outcomes from failure.

Failure always teaches you something

“Learn from failure. If you are an entrepreneur and your first venture wasn’t a success, welcome to the club!” — Richard Branson

I’ve learned more from my failures than I ever have from my successes.

When you fail, you learn what doesn’t work, which is just as important as knowing what does work. These lessons are what can truly make you progress as a person, and support you.

There is so much value to be found and lessons to be learned when you make the wrong move and fail.

Question prompt:what can I learn from one of your most recent failures? How will you act upon it?

Failure is the first step to success

When I first looked at the life and lessons from Richard Branson, I clearly saw how failure for him.

Yet, this was not an isolated case. Steve Jobs was fired from his own company.

Or even Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks, was denied by 242 banks before one finally gave him the funds he needed. Walt Disney’s theme park concept was denied 302 times before he finally got a yes.

Question prompt: can you recall a failure from the past that contributed to your current successes?

When in doubt, never forget to take a deep breath.

Failure makes you stronger

Failure can often be confused with fear. We usually overestimate the devastation that failure will cause, and fear of the feeling of failure usually is worse than the failure itself.

What if, instead, failures could make you stronger?

if you can make it through a failure and charge forward, you strengthen your ability to persevere and show you that truly you are not ready to give up. Challenge your goals and limits by being bold and trying something new and unexpected.

Question prompt: which goal can you set to challenge you and strengthen you for the future?

Remember, failure does not define you

“A Smooth sea never made a skilled sailor“ – Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Just because you’ve failed at something doesn’t mean you’re a failure as a person – remember, your own worth should not be reflective of your choice to try something and get yourself out there. If anything, you should applaud your own brave for you trying and not giving up.

Do you think it’s just you and me, not getting everything right the first time?

Director Alfred Hitchcock shot the infamous shower scene in Psycho 78 times to get that moment just right.

Let’s be honest: the scene itself seems quite simple and straight-forward. Nevertheless, to make it stick and become an icon of what tension is and has been in cinematic history Alfred Hitchcock did not just settle for something that looked “okay”.

As much as we can see this as sheer perfectionism, there is something about this example that also proves that most of what you do won’t be perfect, great or even effective the first time you try it.

“A Smooth sea never made a skilled sailor“ – Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Are you looking for more inspiration during difficult times? Here are 5 important reminders to overcome obstacles in life.