One of my favorite youth development authors is Dr. Tim Elmore. I have several of his Habitudes book series, follow him on social media, and regularly listen to his podcast titled “Leading the Next Generation.”
Earlier this week, he utilized a quote from Arianna Huffington that I really appreciate as a youth development professional. Huffington stated, “We need to accept that we don’t always make the right decisions, that we’ll screw up royally sometimes – understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, it’s part of success.”
None of us like to fail and yet, it is a part of growth and development. Does an athlete succeed immediately? While they may have a great deal of natural talent and ability, they still need practice to hone their skills. Missing the mark is motivation to get closer and closer each time which is actually a small dose of failure.
Do great speakers capture everyone’s attention every time and from the first moment? Again, they may have a presence and sense of humor that cause others to stop and listen but if they can’t effectively get a point across, they will lose their audience. Good speakers practice and learn techniques to help them be better with each engagement and will evaluate the less than stellar moments which are small failures.
No human is going to cruise through life without some failures; some moments where – if they are self-aware – they would like to disappear. It happens to all of us! We say something in a moment of frustration or anger that we’d like to take back. We are just sure of a fact only to find out that we were mis-informed.
The learning takes place when we can evaluate a lesson, make amends, and move forward without dwelling on the error. One of my favorite things to ask 4-H youth about when I am judging their project is what was the hardest part of their exhibit or what did they struggle with the most. It is usually where the most learning happened!
So, while none of us want to experience failure for ourselves or our kids, if we can keep the perspective that it is a part of growth and a necessary part of success, we’ll be a little stronger for the experience.
Keep Learning! Keep showing grace and kindness!
Michelle Beran is the 4-H Youth Development Agent in the Cottonwood Extension District. For more information on this article or other 4-H Youth Development resources, email Michelle at [email protected] or call Cottonwood Extension District – Barton Office at 620-793-1910. Kansas State University is committed to making its services, activities and programs accessible to all participants. If you have special requirements due to a physical, vision, or hearing disability.