You and I are human, and it is only natural for humans to err. The great thing about failure is that everyone messes up. When we are afraid of failure, we either:

• • give up before even beginning, preferring to avoid the possibility of failure OR
  • get upset with ourselves when we fail to get something right the first time, resulting in anxiety and poor performance.

However, we must learn to cope with the mistakes that we will make, and the failures we may face in our education journey.

1. Recognise Mistakes are Unavoidable

To cope with mistakes and failures, one must first accept that tripping over obstacles and falling once in a while is inevitable. We’ve all heard of the incredible story of Einstein’s invention of the bulb.

Even the most accomplished people have made countless mistakes and it is often from these trials that they have emerged stronger and more successful than before.

Allow Yourself To Feel Bad

It is normal to feel embarrassed, ashamed, disappointed or worried. Accept what happened and allow yourself to take in those emotions – but not for too long. Begin to move forward by taking a few deep breaths and telling yourself, “It is not the end of the world.”

Failing a test or an examination should not be viewed as a failure of oneself. The scores we obtain on these assessments are not a measure of your self-worth, but rather an indication of your learning progress. Learn how to review and evaluate one’s progress effectively.

2. Bounce Back And Recover

Next is the more important part of coping with mistakes and failures – getting up on your feet again and taking more powerful strides than before.

Think About Why You Made The Mistake

Evaluate what happened and the actions you took with a calm, objective eye. Ask yourself questions like:

• • what went wrong?
  • what are the consequences of those actions,
  • how can those consequences be avoided in the future?

If you are making the same mistakes repeatedly, examine why this is so. Make a conscious effort to not do so again.

If you are confused about what you did wrong, or where the mistake was made, it can be tricky to put it in the past. Chances are it will still bother you down the road. Try having a chat with someone else who was involved so that you are sure of what not to do next time.

3. Mistakes and Failures Can Be Beneficial

When we see successful people, we only see the tip of the iceberg. We don’t see what’s “under the water”, or what it took for them to achieve that success – failures, rejection, grit, effort, discipline, persistence.

Ultimately, recognise that mistakes and failures can be beneficial because they lead to success (when we learn from them and try again). When we make a mistake or when we fail, we learn about what works and what does not; we improve and learn to keep going instead of giving up.

All the best and remember — mistakes and failures are simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligibly!

— Cheralyn Liu

Our programs at Elucidation Learning are built around this principle — students are sorted by ability into small classes. This builds an environment that best suits their individual needs. Our teachers focus on drawing out the best in every child by investing time  to teach students the values of resilience and perseverance in the face of mistakes and failures even as they work on your child’s academic learning.

For a free assessment of your child’s work, make an appointment with Elucidation Learning. You can drop in at one of our centre locations and speak to us. Alternatively, call us at +65.6464-0323 or Whatsapp us at +65.9738-8529.