FAILURE-LESS DOES NOT EQUAL MORE SELF-ESTEEM
My latest message in the arena of Successful Failing has been focused on children. In an effort to boost flailing self-esteem, a number of school boards have reduced or eliminated failure from the classroom and the playground. While I believe that they had the children's best interest in mind, I think that their approach will have the opposite effect.

Creating an artificial, failure-less environment will not boost self-esteem. Real self-esteem comes from reaching what you thought was your limit and discovering that you have more than you thought you did. Failure-less environments delay the inevitable life lessons that accompany failure until children are out of the nurturing environments of classroom and playground and out into the real world.

Schools (and parents and coaches) can do a great service to children by being by their side when they suffer life's failures. They can do a great service by helping them to pick up the pieces and build a stronger sense of self from the remains of a failure. Successful failing means learning how to view failure as feedback and to reframe the incident so that it becomes a powerful force in your life. Anyone can do this. It just takes practice and sometimes guidance.

I have just launched a new school program aimed at showing teachers, educators, parents, coaches and role-models how to teach children to pick themselves up when they fall. Remember, that failure is a sign of growth. Isn't that what we really want for our children (and ourselves)? That they be constantly growing and reaching new heights in their lives?

For more on my new program, click the link at the top of this page (look for "NEW").