Success Key: Don't be Afraid to Fail

By James Allen

Recently, I had the opportunity to meet the parents of a "star" student who will soon be graduating from high school. Yes, she's pretty, smart, athletic, talented, socially skilled, etc., but there is something beyond all of that that makes her stand out. As I spent time talking to her parents, it became more clear as to why that is.

As we discussed some of her many accomplishments, her father shared about how he always encouraged both of his children not to be afraid of failure, but to go ahead and try new things. Her mother also encouraged her to use her creativity and talents to contribute in meaningful ways to the community around her even from a young age. 

By giving her a safe, supportive environment to “try her wings”, this young lady now stands out among her peers as a real leader. The best thing about it is that she hardly even seems to realize what a leader she is because it just flows so naturally out of her. 

This discussion hit home to me just how key it is to success in life to not be afraid to try new things. Too often we get caught in the paralysis of analysis when it comes to actualizing our dreams because, quite frankly, we’re afraid of failure. We would do well to get more comfortable with the idea of failing.

I am reminded of the example of Peter in the Bible. Of all Jesus’ disciples, it seems like he was always the one who was most willing to try the new thing and yet fail (e.g. walking on water). What strikes me, though, is the fact the Jesus knew he would fail, and let him try anyway. We see this so clearly when he tells Peter that he is going to deny him three times before he was crucified, which Peter said he would never do, but sure enough, he does anyway.

What is so beautiful about this failure experience is how it changed Peter. Jesus did not condemn Peter for failing him, but restored him to a place of great authority, which he probably would not have realized had he not gone through the failure experience. 

God works the same way with all of us. He calls us to things that are beyond our ability to accomplish in our own strength, but if we will take the first step out of faith and obedience to him, suddenly we realize His power that has been there all along working in and through us in way we would never have dreamed possible. Yes, we may fall flat on our faces in the process at times, but God is always right there to pick us up, restore and strengthen us.
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So what failure are you afraid of? Is it interfering with your ability to take the next step forward that you need to take? If so, just remember that God’s got you covered. He’s a safe place you can always come back to if you do fail, but equally important, you won’t see what he can do through you if you never take the step to try.