Daily Insight Video

Students going back to school right now are all concerned about one thing; not failing. This is understandable because grades do count. Grades make a difference in how students feel about themselves, how happy their parents are with them, and where they ultimately go to college. A lot of things depend on grades, so students are very adverse to failure.

However, there are two different kinds of failure, and the difference between them is important.

The first is failure because you didn’t do something that you were supposed to do well. This is the kind of failure that students are constantly trying to avoid.

The second is failure because you did not take action. This is the type of failure that people deal with later on in life, when they are looking back on the things that they have done in their life.

Even though failure appears to be monolithic, there are various types, and some have a greater effect than others. There are higher quality failures, that help us and lead us to greater growth. The highest quality failure I know, is when you strive after something, knowing that you may fail. Failing on purpose can lead to tremendous learning and is a great opportunity for growth.

So my question to you is:

How can you fail on purpose?