An Introduction to Failure

Everyone writes for different reasons, and the same can be said for reading. Some want to fully divulge in the world within the pages, while some simply want something fun to pass the time. I don’t think either side of the coin is necessarily correct, although I too have my own preferences.

Over these last couple years of seriously getting into this whole deal, I’ve received a ton of critique, and reading what people have to say has been a monumental diverse affair. Early on I found it hard to deal with criticism. I didn’t know what I was doing, so it was easy to fall into the traps of self-Indulgence. When I failed at something and was ceremoniously criticized for it, I remember just not wanting to proceed. I thought about the time wasted on making something that just wasn’t good, about how I would continue to waste time because I just didn’t know how to improve. What would be the point if I just never got any better?

I’ve spent a lot of time not doing the things that interest me because of that line of thinking. And I look back at my past self just sitting idly by as the world continued moving, thinking how actually wasted that time was. Yes, if I tried and failed it would be upsetting, but what ‘s the alternative? If I simply admitted defeat without even trying, then why should I be scared of failure? If I was so comfortable with the concept, then there was nothing left to fear.

Admitting defeat isn’t a bad thing. If anything, it’s one of the best motivators. I learned that when I took away my expectations of success, it became much easier to simply write. If it turned out bad, I could always fix it, and if it turned out good, then I knew I was on the right track. But removing the expectation that I already had it figured out took such a weight away from the art that it actually became fun, if still a little stressful.

Now, whether I actually improved much at all over that time isn’t for me to say. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and sometimes I feel quite blind. So, when it comes to actually putting words to paper, I say if the only thing holding you back is the fear of failure, I impose the concept that not giving the option of failure is more terrifying. After all, what do you have to lose if you’ve already admitted defeat?

So, pull your sleeves up and admit defeat like a professional. You may not get to where you need going, but at least you’ll get farther than if you never left.