It's Okay to Fail

I know. That's not what everyone else says, but hear me out.

In a world where everyone tries to convince you that their life is pure perfection and no one ever shows you his or her's struggle to success, it may be hard to accept the fact that failure does happens sometimes. In reality, it's a natural part of life and it builds character.

I didn't even believe that just a couple days ago. I'm hard on myself, and people have high expectations for me, so I strive for perfection all the time. Who could blame me though? I attend a University that has birthed America's top rocket scientists, DJ's, comedians, entrepreneurs, television writers, business owners, and more. Even those who haven't yet graduated have secured internships with companies like Google, Goldman Sachs, Ebony, etc. With all the greatness around me, success should be easy to achieve, right? Absolutely not. The sea of success that surrounds me at school definitely pressures me to get my life together, and fast. So I attempted to do just that. I searched aggressively for internships and tried to build my brand all while maintaining a job and a relationship. I felt good about handling my business! Things seemed to be going well. I had been in contact with multiple companies, moving past every round of interviews and tests. To be honest, I got comfortable. Then, one day my phone vibrated with an email notification and the moment that I had been expecting came; an acceptance letter from at least one of the companies. Instead, I saw the infamous phrase, "Thank you for your interest, but." Job after job, the cycle continued. "Thank you for applying, but." BUT WHAT? I literally broke down crying because I felt so discouraged and worthless after receiving "no" after "no." Frequent rejection truly makes you question if you're good enough and makes you wonder what makes other people better. But after I let out my frustrations, I was able to view the failure from a different, much more positive perspective:

1. It's okay to not be perfect

In life, you will fail. In fact, you will be told "no" more times than "yes." Instead of allowing rejection to beat you down, use it to motivate and fuel you to reach your goals.

2. Everyone's road to success is different

There is no need to compare journeys. You can't get any further by worrying about what the next person is doing. If anything, ask the person who is where you want to be for advice, but don't consume yourself with their lives. Stay in your lane.

3. Failure teaches and builds an appreciation for your accomplishments

I'm not saying to get comfortable with taking L's, but find out how you can improve your approach for the next time and apply that to all future endeavors. Additionally, failing is never fun, but it can allow you to appreciate what you have more than you might have before which in turn makes you more passionate and determined than ever.

Good luck on whatever you may be trying to accomplish. Stay encouraged!