Don’t Fear Failure—Learn From It and Build Resilience
The first time I crashed a bobsled at nearly 90 miles per hour, time seemed to slow down. Metal screamed against ice, my body braced for impact, and in those suspended seconds, I faced what many consider their greatest fear: failure.
That crash could have been the end of my Olympic journey—instead, it became one of my most valuable teachers. Because what separates champions from those who never reach their potential isn’t the absence of failure—it’s learning how to learn from failure.
Why You Must Learn From Failure, Not Fear It
We live in a world that celebrates wins and hides the setbacks. Scroll through social media and you’ll find highlight reels, not blooper reels—yet those messy behind-the-scenes moments are where true growth happens.
When our Jamaican bobsled team hit the international stage, we didn’t just fail—we failed publicly and spectacularly. But with every crash, every poor start, and every disappointing result, we gained knowledge.
Each failure taught us:
-
Something about weight distribution
-
How to improve our technique
-
What it really takes to succeed under pressure
Failure wasn’t the enemy—fear of failure was. When you fear failure, you play small. You avoid risk. You stick with what’s comfortable.
And while that may protect your ego short-term, it guarantees long-term regret.
👉 Want to reframe challenges instead of running from them? Read this next
5 Ways to Build Resilience and Learn From Failure
1. Study Setbacks With Curiosity, Not Shame
When you fall short, don’t spiral into embarrassment. Ask:
“What can I learn?”
This opens up growth and shuts down fear.
2. Separate Performance From Identity
Failing doesn’t make you a failure. It makes you courageous enough to try something hard. Your worth is not defined by your outcomes.
3. Normalize Failure Through Exposure
The more you take risks, the less scary failure becomes. Like muscles, your resilience grows the more you challenge it.
4. Track What Failure Teaches You
Start a “failure resume.” List the setbacks you’ve experienced, what they taught you, and how you grew because of them. This practice turns regret into wisdom.
📖 Want more strategies on embracing challenges? Explore how failure builds resilience
5. Surround Yourself With Growth-Minded People
The right circle won’t shame you for falling—they’ll help you stand up and go again. Check out why resilience in leadership matters
Reframe Your Most Recent “Failure”
On my journey from the streets of Kingston to the Olympic Games, I’ve failed far more than I’ve succeeded. But every stumble held the lesson I needed next.
Don’t wait for the pain to pass. Revisit a recent setback and ask:
-
What did this teach me?
-
What strength did I uncover through this?
-
What will I do differently now?
Write down 3 insights and 1 action you’ll take. Then…
🎥 Watch this short video as a reminder that failure isn’t the end—it’s fuel for the next level.
Keep On Pushing
The greatest regrets don’t come from falling short after giving your all. They come from the chances we never took because we were afraid to fail.
So today, choose to learn from failure. Let it sharpen you—not stop you.
👇 Drop your lesson from a recent setback in the comments or send it to someone who needs to hear this.
Keep On Pushing!
– Devon Harris