failure just means you dared to show up.
We’ve all experienced the fear of failure. The fear of looking silly. The fear of what people will think. The fear of not being good enough. Failure is a common part of life, but that doesn’t make it any easier to put yourself out there.
what if you reframe your perspective on failure?
What if you see failure as a courageous victory—an indication that you had the audacity to show up and even take a chance?
Let me tell you a story.
I've started playing polo. You know, the horseback sport of kings and princes that even professional polo players describe as playing golf during an earthquake. I've been riding since I was two years old, so I felt confident I could probably master the sport in no time.
This weekend, my friends at Lakeshore Polo bumped me from the beginner riders class to the Margarita League, which after a quick Google search I learned is the common terminology for beginner polo players with a little sass (I added the sass part). After a tumultuous hour of what felt like fighting for my life on horseback, I decided they call it that because you need a big ol' margarita if you live through it.
I should preface what I'm about to say by explaining that I've had three whole polo lessons in my lifetime. I don’t even know how many people are on a team.
It became quickly apparent I had no business riding in the Margarita League, but I had committed and there was no turning back. The first time the ball came my way, it zoomed right past me. So, naturally, I did what any self-respecting polo player would do in that situation. I handed my trusty polo pony the reins, gave her a solid kick, and off we went, charging across the field at a high rate of speed.
Now, throughout my life, I can count on one hand how many times I genuinely believed I might die while riding a horse. And as my butt cheeks soared higher and higher from the seat of my oh-so-tiny English saddle, I vividly remember thinking, "This might be it." I also had the wherewithal to wonder if this runaway fiasco looked as bad as it felt.
It was confirmed that it also looked as horrifying as it felt when I heard a charming Argentine voice scream, "SHORTEN YOUR REINS." My coach Agustin admitted later in the barn it was a little like watching a runaway train wreck in slow motion.
This was all in the first five minutes.
I spent the next fifty minutes loping around the field, failing continuously. I attempted to hit the ball and missed horrifically no fewer than twenty times. At one point, they rolled the ball within six inches of the goal so I could score one standing still. I had to hit it four times. I looked like a ridiculous golf meme in real life. Talk about humbling.
I failed, and let me tell you, I had an absolute blast in the process. I didn't have the right boots, or even the right pants. But guess what? None of it mattered.
When you fail, give yourself a pat on the back. It means you had the cowgirl courage to step up and take a shot. It's a sign that you're growing, evolving, and pushing your limits.
Failure is the mark of courage.
Embrace it, learn from it, and keep on riding towards your legendary life.
