This is Why You Will NEVER Grow Without Facing Failure

Failure used to be the bane of my existence. The reason why I struggled with so many trivial obsessions growing up is partly due to my adherence to being a perfectionist. The risk of failing is what kept me from playing bigger in life, taking chances and most importantly, living my truth.

One of the most memorable times of when I was faced with the decision to either risk failure, or stay on my clean, safe, reliable path was when I left my job in December of 2014.

I was working a desk job at a plant-based powder company called Skoop. I was filling the role of Public Relations and Social Media Manager, which was great because I love people and I love social media. It was a natural role for me.

With that said, I used a lot of company time to think about my own passions. I would spend time emailing people about trying out our products, but I would be mentally drifting off, thinking about my next podcast guest, a life on my own terms, and what it would feel like to have the daily thrill of entrepreneurism.

Leading up to my departure from Skoop, I bought a book called The Purpose Principles by Jake Ducey. If you read my work or listen to my podcast, you know that Jake is one of my role models, and he is also my personal coach. He was our featured guest in my group coaching program, The Freedom Lounge, this past month, where I shared some of the ways his book changed my state of mind.

The other book I read is a coaching book called The Prosperous Coach by Steve Chandler. This book opened up my eyes to the need of coaches in this world and helped give me the confidence to take the leap.

The day I put in my two weeks notice, I had no idea it was going to happen. I didn’t wake up that morning saying, “Today’s the day.”

Instead, I sat down at my chair at 8:30 AM and my heart sank at the reality of my life. I knew it wasn’t my truth, and that was the most painful thought to bare.

It was in that moment that I knew I would rather face failure than face living a life that wasn’t true to me. I had a passion, a purpose and a drive. If I didn’t honor myself enough to put myself in the way of failure, I would never truly be able to serve the world.

Remember: failure is not what hold you back. Failure is what takes you forward. (sticky note alert)

I have a recent example of “failure” to share with you.

As many of you know, I was in Asia this year for three months. The majority of the time, I was working on a book.

In fact, I wrote an entire book.

I finished the book.

I spent three full months working on a book about orthorexia and intuition only to put it on the shelf, never to be published.

The book, as good as it was for me to write at the time, doesn’t align with what I talk about now. My business used to be focused solely on body image and food freedom, whereas now I speak on the bigger issues of life such as fear, perfectionism, anxiety, rejection, relationships, business, financial success, family and more.

So even though I spent all of that time writing a book that will never be published, I don’t consider it a true failure or a waste of time. Writing that book, in a sense, helped me to realize that I no longer feel passionate about that subject. It was almost as if finishing that book was therapeutic to finishing the chapter in my life where I talk about nothing but body image. I was tired of rehashing my past and dedicating my life to being a martyr for the cause. I wanted to show people that there’s MORE to life than focusing on your past. I wanted to show my followers that it’s possible to leave your struggles in the dust, and focus on all that is good and exciting to you (while creating the future of your dreams).

Do you have a passion for something, yet the fear of failure is holding you back?

Anybody who has ever lived a powerful, authentic life has faced adversity, struggle, and the possibility of failure.

Spend your time focusing on what’s the BEST that could happen if you face risk. What’s the BEST that could happen if your dreams do come true?

And another thing? The fear of “failure” never goes away. You become less sensitive to being in its presence but our “fight or flight” brains will always find a way to worry about something unless we consciously make the decision to make our dreams more important than our fears.

What are you currently passionate about that will require risk? How are you embracing that possibility? Are you stepping into your calling? Are you taking leaps to get there?

Recommended reading for stepping into your power:

Playing Big by Tara Mohr (listen to my podcast with Tara HERE)

Inspired and Unstoppable by Tama Kieves (this book was highly inspirational to me)

{GROUP COACHING} Want to face failure with a coaching your corner? Want to be encouraged every step of the way? Invest in my group coaching program and watch your life change. Sign up HERE.

{LIVE EVENT} Join wildly successful coach Amanda Gyuran and I in the mountains of Boulder, Colorado for a two-day event, More Than This: A Two-Day Intensive to Break Limiting Beliefs, Expand Your Self-Worth, and Live For Something Bigger. Give yourself this gift and claim one of the 75 tickets HERE.