Our relationship with the world

How to successfully fail ? Is it possible ?

How to successfully fail ? Is it possible ?

Have you ever failed ? Do you consider it as a fail still ? Or did you toke a revenge over the fail? O maybe did you turned it as a success ? Canwe succesfully fail ?

Maybe I can give you the context of this story. This past year hasn’t been a piece of cake. In fact, it’s been the exact opposite! Work issues, stress, anxiety, an overloaded agenda, and the accumulation of frustration… best not to recall every detail! But we’re not here to dwell on our misery. After the clouds come the sun, but it doesn’t appear on its own; we have to go out and look for it!

Let’s rewind to a year ago. Shortly after switching companies and finishing the onboarding process, the high season arrived like a massive wave. To be honest, that high season didn’t feel great—due to several factors that don’t need to be detailed here. The thing is, in the middle of this intense period, I felt overloaded, stressed, anxious… and results started slipping. One month, two months, three months… it just kept dragging on. Anxiety grew, the lack of understanding deepened, and the pressure kept mounting. It was like a never-ending cycle of bad results with no way out.

Then, my boss (smart woman) offered me a break from sales for a few months. I started focusing on business development, with the option to return to sales if needed. And that moment came. Colleagues went on leave, and I got my first file, then a second, and another, and another. I remember sitting in front of my computer—white page staring back at me. Stress creeping up again… What could I do? At that moment, I had a choice: stress or stay calm. I could either continue doing the same thing I had been doing, following the process I was taught, or I could let go and do things my way. Why not? After all, it was just for a few weeks, and I had nothing to lose. Maybe that was the real strength—having nothing to lose.

In my first job, I was naturally good at sales, but I didn’t really understand what it took to be successful. Sales require soft skills like empathy, confidence, and the ability to connect with people. It’s about persistence, adaptability, and knowing your stuff. Knowing my product wasn’t an issue. But this time, my approach was different. Hence, I chose not to follow the process. I put aside the fear and insecurity and decided to trust my instincts. I answered the way I wanted to, just going with the flow. Forgetting the process turned out to be the best thing I could have done. As a perfectionist, I had been obsessed with following the process so much that I forgot to just be myself.

Now, my results not only meet but exceed expectations. I feel aligned with my daily tasks, my work style, and my interactions with prospects and clients. So, what’s the takeaway? It’s not just a story about failing in one moment and suddenly becoming “successful” the next. The real lesson is how we can learn to “successfully fail.”

I come from a culture where failure isn’t looked at positively. Failing is something to avoid at all costs. If you fail, you’re a failure. But what if failing is actually the best way to learn? What if, by failing and facing challenges, we learn more about ourselves? What if, in the process of searching for a solution, I become better than before—better even than when I was “naturally” good? When I first succeeded, I thought it was a piece of cake. Now I know what it truly takes. I also know that trying to fit into a role, or follow a process that doesn’t align with who I am, isn’t right for me.

What I’ve learned is to trust myself and my process. I’ve learned that failing, after all, isn’t the end of the world. It’s tough, but it’s also where the real growth happens. Let’s make space for failure. Let’s make room to “successfully fail” and take the time to learn from it.