Falling Forward: How to Turn Failure Into Your Greatest Comeback

How Do We Deal with Failure?

Today, I got some disappointing news. The results of my recent interview weren’t what I was hoping for—and trust me, I had high hopes. I spent nearly the entire day calling around, trying to get some kind of explanation. The responses I got were… well, let’s just say “vague” is an understatement.

I know my background. I know my experience. I even know that my current operations are solid. If anything, maybe it was the interview itself. And even then—I didn’t think I bombed it. But maybe that’s the elusive “X factor.”

I’ll be honest—I wanted the decision reversed immediately. Like, right now. But life doesn’t usually come with an “undo” button. The account I bid for will eventually be rereleased, and I’ll have another chance to apply. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to speak directly with the panelists to understand what went wrong, but there are other resources—like the organizer—who might offer some insight on how I can improve.

It’s not ideal. I won’t sugarcoat that. Part of me wants to curl up in a ball, put on some sad music, and wallow. But here’s the thing: that doesn’t move the needle. That doesn’t get me closer to my goals.

This is one failure. Not the failure. It doesn’t define me, and it sure as heck doesn’t define you.

History is full of legendary names who didn’t exactly knock it out of the park on their first try:

• Ray Kroc didn’t step into McDonald’s until he was 54.
• Colonel Sanders heard “no” hundreds of times before KFC was born.
• Walt Disney? Filed for bankruptcy more than once.

If they had thrown in the towel after their first setback, the world would’ve missed out on Big Macs, buckets of chicken, and a mouse with a theme park empire.

The truth is, success is built on the back of many, many failures. It’s those failures that refine us. They sharpen our skills, shift our perspective, and—if we let them—make us stronger than ever before.

We’ve all heard the sayings:

“You can’t keep a good person down.”
“Fall seven times, stand up eight.”
“It’s not about how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get back up.”

There’s a reason those quotes have lasted—because they’re true.

No one promised that life would be easy. If they did, they were probably trying to sell you something. Life is full of highs and lows, triumphs and setbacks. And honestly? That’s what makes it interesting. That’s what makes it worth living.

So here’s to failing forward, staying in the game, and showing up again—maybe even with a smile and a new strategy.

Because failure isn’t the end of the story. It’s just the beginning of a comeback.