On Tuesday in the 6^th grade life skills class, Mrs. Mize took the students through a workshop about failure. “There seems to be a cultural trend in many students that prevents them from even trying due to a fear of failure. This is not how to achieve success. We cannot live so careful that we skirt around any mistake or failure. That is not living,” said Mrs. Mize. Mrs. Mize went through many examples of famous people such as J.K. Rowling, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, and others that made some big mistakes and failed miserably more than once. The students learned the common themes and most important lessons from failure is to own it, learn from it, and keep trying.

The students finished the session by watching an excerpt from J.K. Rowling’s commencement speech at a Harvard graduation a few years ago. In her speech, she explained the fringe benefits of failure. “I want these students to understand that some of the best lessons are learned the hard way. Many times deeper understanding comes when you learn what does not work.” Thomas Edison once said when asked about his 5,000 failed attempts at the light bulb, “I did not fail 5,000 times; I just found 5,000 ways that did not work.”

One of my favorite quotes on gaining wisdom through life experiences is the following:

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” The drive for success must outweigh the fear of failure.