Why failure is important for success

Considering a career in law is daunting and deciding that it is the avenue you want to go down is even more scary. It seems everyone around you is a highflyer with stellar academic qualifications and a lifetime of relevant work experience to match. If you slip up on one little thing – it can be as small as forgetting to take the bins out – you can find yourself in the midst of an existential crisis wondering why you ever thought you’d be able to make it as a lawyer.

As someone who has had to overcome a couple of obstacles to get this far in their education, however, I can confidently say I am (retrospectively) very happy that all my past ‘failures’ occurred. This is because they got me where I am today. I see failure as a greater opportunity than success, and these are five reasons why I think you should too:

1. Failure teaches you resilience  

Everyone will fail at something at some point in their lives. It’s bound to happen. Now this can be difficult to remember when all you see around you is people succeeding, but it is no less true regardless of your context. You need to learn how to deal with failure because otherwise you are going to let something relatively small dictate the course of your future. So rather than wallowing in your failure, accept it (however painful this may be) and decide where to go next. Your path may not take you where you expected, but this doesn’t stop it being the path you must take.

2. Failure gives you a chance to discover something you wouldn’t previously have considered   

Had your heart set on that particular law school, practice area, training contract, or mini-pupillage? Yes, it sucks when you don’t get it. But don’t let this disappointment colour the other opportunities available to you. There is such a wide variety of possibilities open to you that realistically you cannot have considered them all already. Use this failure as a chance to explore something you haven’t previously considered. You never know, you may find something a lot more exciting than you first thought!

3. Failure highlights your weaknesses  

Don’t just allow yourself to focus on the fact you have ‘failed’. Instead analyse the events leading up to this point. What could you have done differently to get your desired result?

The only way you can get better is by recognising the things you don’t do as well, and the beauty of failure is that it presents our weakness up to us in big, bold neon lights, offering us the best chance to improve.

4. Failure fuels success  

You know that feeling when someone tells you that you can’t do something and that only makes you want to do it more? Well, that’s what failure can do for you. By all means, take some time to be upset about the fact you didn’t get what you were aiming for. Do not, however, let this consume you. Instead use this emotion to fuel your determination to succeed next time.

5. Failure reminds you why it’s so important to treat others well  

Failure leaves us all feeling a little glum and it’s when you’re feeling down in the dumps that you really appreciate the kindness of others. Additionally, there’s nothing that makes you feel better than helping others. So next time you’re feeling sad about your failings, pay it forward. Not only will it make you feel better, but it will help you remember some of the fabulous qualities you DO possess.

So, next time you ‘fail’, remember these five pieces of advice and that failure is necessary for success.