By Lyanne Chen
The email notification about the program decision popped up in my inbox. I squinted at the words, “We regret to inform you that we are unable to offer you a spot at XYZ..” Feeling dejected, I closed the email immediately and curled up in bed. I began to doubt my abilities and self-worth, and my confidence dropped.
I felt like giving up.
But, I realized my attitude about failure was not going to land me anywhere. Thinking back, this was not the first time I have failed. I have failed countless times before, whether it was receiving a bad test grade or losing a volleyball game. And each time I failed, I passively accepted the outcome and this prevented me from trying new things. However, I needed to change my mindset. I did not enjoy feeling tired and unconfident so I converted my setbacks into sources of motivation. I gathered the courage to pull myself together to grow and improve my weaknesses.
I did not reapply the following year due to age qualification reasons, but my hard work led to new surprises nonetheless. UC Berkeley welcomed me with new opportunities where I cultivated my interests in community service and health. I rose above my failures and confidently dreamed of new goals and aspirations. I was accepted into new programs, and I finally felt as if my failed attempts and hard work, ironically, paved a pathway towards success.
The thing is: failure did not define me as a person because it was a major catalyst for improvement. It was the epitome of success. If I had not failed, I would not have learned how to succeed or grow upon myself. I would not have realized what my weaknesses were or how to face challenges in life.
You might not be good at everything you do, and that is expected! We all have our own set of strengths and weaknesses. Don’t criticize your failures and be proud of how far you have gotten. If you confront failures with an open and determined mind, you have the same ability and confidence as someone else who has succeeded.