Each Failure Brings You Closer to Success

Embrace failure, and you will find the path to success. I believe that how we respond to failure is crucial to achieving success. Everyone experiences setbacks, but our mindset toward these challenges shapes our response and ultimately determines our growth. By viewing failure as an opportunity to learn and improve, we pave the way for future achievements.
 
Last week, I shared the remarkable story of Diana Nyad, the 64-year-old swimmer who completed an astonishing feat: swimming from Cuba to Florida for nearly 53 hours nonstop without a shark cage. This feat is equivalent to crossing the English Channel four times without stopping.
 
Nyad first attempted this swim at age 28 but failed. The challenge stayed with her for decades, and at age 60, she decided to confront it again. Her journey was filled with setbacks, and despite her incredible determination, she failed four times over three years.
 
Each attempt presented new obstacles—from excruciating jellyfish stings to powerful currents—but Nyad’s resilience and self-belief never wavered.
 
 
We were mesmerised.
 
Last week, Julie and I watched the final segment of her journey, which truly highlighted her extraordinary perseverance. This wasn’t just a single failure but a series of them, yet she refused to quit. Her determination and resilience transfixed us.
 
At one point, even her team lost hope. But Nyad pressed on for one last attempt, and the team regrouped to support her. Astonishingly, in her best attempt before her final success, she had only made it partway, far from the finish line.
 
Yet she pushed on for the final time, and this time, she achieved her lifelong dream, showing us all the power of persistence and mental resilience.
 
 
She failed four times.
 
Diana Nyad’s journey to swim from Cuba to Florida was marked by perseverance, with four major attempts in her 60s, each met with unique challenges:
 
 
1. August 2010 – First Attempt in Her 60s
Nyad’s first attempt in 2010 was a return to her dream after three decades. At 61, she re-entered the waters, inspired to finish what she had once set aside. She faced exhaustion and shoulder pain but swam for 24 hours before her support team convinced her to end the attempt due to severe asthma. The failure was a setback but reignited her determination to find ways to address her physical limitations.
 
2. September 2011 – Second Attempt
In 2011, Nyad returned to try again, but she encountered one of her most difficult obstacles: jellyfish. As night fell, she was stung multiple times by box jellyfish, whose venom can be deadly. The stings caused intense pain and swelling, and despite attempts by her team to alleviate her suffering, Nyad was forced to stop the swim after about 40 hours. The jellyfish problem became a significant barrier, and Nyad’s team began experimenting with protective suits and strategies to avoid them in future attempts.
 
3. September 2011 – Third Attempt
A few weeks after her previous attempt, Nyad tried once more. Armed with a protective suit to shield her from jellyfish, she started strong but soon faced extreme weather. Strong winds and currents continually pushed her off course. Combined with more jellyfish stings, these factors made it impossible to continue, and she had to be pulled from the water. This setback was particularly disheartening, as she had hoped the protective suit would solve the jellyfish issue.
 
4. August 2012 – Fourth Attempt
In her final failure, Nyad set out with new equipment and strategies, including a silicone mask to prevent jellyfish stings to her face. Although this helped, she once again faced a harsh mix of challenges. Despite the protective measures, more severe weather, strong currents, and another wave of jellyfish stings led her team to end the attempt. Nyad completed 51 hours in the water but could not reach her goal. Her resilience was tested to its limit, yet she resolved to try again, making adjustments to overcome every possible obstacle.
 
 
Each failure taught Nyad and her team lessons that helped refine her equipment, improve jellyfish protection, and prepare mentally for the next attempt. On September 2, 2013, on her fifth attempt, she completed the journey, inspiring people worldwide by finally swimming from Cuba to Florida at age 64.
 
 
Some of the greatest minds embrace failure.
 
Reflect on the following quotes about failure and take inspiration from the idea that failure can be a positive experience when approached with the right mindset.
 
 
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” – Thomas Edison
 
“Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall.” – Confucius
 
“Failure is not the opposite of success; it’s part of success.” – Arianna Huffington
 
“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” – Albert Einstein
 
“There is no innovation and creativity without failure. Period.” – Brené Brown
 
“If you’re not failing, you’re not pushing your limits, and if you’re not pushing your limits, you’re not maximising your potential.” – Ray Dalio
 
“Failure is not falling down, but refusing to get up.” – Chinese Proverb
 
“Failures are but the stepping stones to success.” – Author Unknown
 
“Failure is success in progress.” – Albert Einstein
 
“Fall seven times, stand up eight.” – Japanese Proverb
 
“Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” – Napoleon Hill
 
This quote by Napoleon Hill is one I strive to live by. I firmly believe that within every failure or adversity lies a seed of something positive. If you take the time to seek it, you will find it, and with that discovery, you can move forward with renewed purpose and optimism. 

 
Thoughts for the week: 

1. How do you typically respond to failure, and how has your mindset shaped your ability to overcome challenges?
2. What lessons have you learned from a past failure that contributed to a later success?
3. Reflecting on Diana Nyad’s story, what qualities are essential for turning repeated setbacks into eventual success?
4. Which of the quotes on failure resonates with you the most, and how can you apply its message to your own life? 

 
Well, that’s it for this week. Have a wonderful weekend, and keep believing.
 
Warm regards

John

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