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.
