Celebrating Failure

Baring Soul!

 

1)      A time I failed this past semester.

a.       In class, I failed at recording people. There were some assignments that I obtained recording. However, it wasn’t easy. It was really hard for me to get people to want to talk on a video recording device. I didn’t realize so many people were camera shy. Trying to find people that would let you record took up a lot of time as well, and I didn’t have patience for it. There was the money assignment that I failed at several times. You would think getting rid of money would be easy. It wasn’t. People looked at me extremely weird, because I approached them in the middle of their busy schedule. Most wouldn’t take the money.

b.      At work, I failed at multitasking efficiently. I work in a fast pace environment, and it can get overwhelming with everything that needs to get done. I feel like I don’t get anything done. I’m running around like a chicken with my head chopped off.

c.       At home, I failed at keeping my house clean and organized. It never used to be this tough to keep my house clean. With my increased busy schedule, I don’t seem to find time to keep up with it. It stays organized for only one day now.

2)      What I learned from it.  

Class

            I learned that you need to make time, and not find time. I also learned that changing strategies helps. If one way doesn’t work, try another. Get creative with strategies.

Work

            I learned that I need to take one step at a time. In order to organize my thoughts, I should probably grab a pen and pad. That way, I can organize a list. This will help me get things done more effectively, and make me feel like I get things done in general.

Home

            I learned that I am not a super human. I wish I was. Except, I’m not. I can only do so much. When my work load lifts, I will have time again to keep up with household organization.

           

3)      Reflect, in general, on what you think about failure. Failure is hard, isn't it? It's embarrassing, sure, but it also means that we have to change something about ourselves. Talk about how you handle failure (emotionally, behaviorally). Finally, talk about how this class has changed your perspective on failure -- are you more likely to take a risk now than you were four months ago? 

a.       Failure is tough. Most of the time I handle failure by rationalizing it. Like, there is a reason for everything type of rationalization. I will say, “Well, it wasn’t meant to be this time”. Or, “I’ll do better next time”. I guess I try to give myself little pep talks. This class has given me the time to reflect. This has changed my perspective on failure. In the eyes of failure, I will ask myself, “What do you need to change?” I don’t reflect often, and I need to. Reflecting helps you realize underlying problems. Reflecting on failure is really important. This helps understanding why you failed, and lowers your chance of failing next time. Strange enough, I feel more likely to take a risk now than I was four months ago. I think it’s because I’m not afraid of failure as much as I was. I realized that reflecting on failure can give you many more windows. If we don’t see these windows, then we are insane. As Albert Einstein once said, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results”.