What is it about failure that gives it such a negative connotation? While it is not success, failure isn't necessarily a bad thing; it is the way we learn. As Albert Einstein puts it, "you never fail until you stop trying." It is nearly impossible to succeed without experiencing failure on some level, so why does failure have to have such a negative connotation? Why not focus on the end result and eventual success instead? Wouldn't that be more worthwhile? Isn't it better to encourage someone to persevere through their shortcomings rather than to put them down for them?

Merriam-Webster defines failure as the “lack of success.” To me, the key word here is lack. All it means to lack something is to not have it yet. Therefore, if someone is lacking success, it does not mean they are incapable of succeeding.

Often times failure results in giving up. However, failure doesn’t have to be forever; it is more of a stepping stone to success. Everyone knows Thomas Edison’s quote, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” What if we all approached shortcomings with this attitude? What if failure was no longer associated with not being good enough? What if instead it was associated with perseverance and determination to succeed?

Think about where the world would be if no one fought through failure. There wouldn't be airplanes, lightbulbs, medications, and thousands of other inventions. Now think of how much everyone could accomplish if giving up was never an option; what if everyone was so motivated by themselves and others to succeed, that they never let themselves give up? We would accomplish so much, both as individuals and as a society. Not only that, but I think the world would also be a more positive environment for us all to live in if everyone was continuously encouraging each other instead of putting each other down.