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What are the benefits of failure?
Self-sufficiency. Failure provides you with an opportunity to learn how to fix something yourself . When you suffer a failure or setback, own it. Don’t pass it off on someone else. Don’t blame your teacher. Ask your parents not to intervene covering up your every failure or constantly smoothing the road ahead of you. They mean well, but in college and later in your career, you’ll be glad you learned to handle problems on your own. Resilience. Students who have experienced failure understand that while unpleasant, it will not actually kill you. Students who have pulled themselves up from the pit of failure once or twice understand that the experience can be sort-of like a failure vaccine enabling them to recover faster and stronger from subsequent failures . Clarity. Some of the world’s greatest inventors, innovators, leaders and athletes have suffered epic, and occasionally very public failures. Thomas Edison, J.K. Rowling, Steve Jobs, and Abraham Lincoln all failed several times before achieving success. Each recovered from failure with a clearer and stronger vision of their goal. Perspective. Failure puts success in proper perspective. These days too many people expect immediate success, and when it doesn’t happen right away, they give up. Failure provides the perspective that success is a process – sometimes a very long one. PRODUCT PREVIEW Success is rarely instantaneous. Most success takes time, a great deal of sustained effort, and several setbacks. At this stage in your life, academic success is your primary goal. Set grade goals that reflect your best efforts. Know what you want to achieve. Actively monitor your progress toward your grade goals. You have the skills it takes to be a successful student. Never let the prospect of failure prevent you from going big and bold and trying your very best to do whatever it is you want to do. Develop a personal philosophy for dealing with failure. How you handle failure is not only a good college and career readiness skill, it’s a great life skill! THE BIG PICTURE
THE 21st CENTURY STUDENT’S GUIDE TO STUDY SKILLS 267
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