Why Embracing Failure Leads to Success

Why Embracing Failure Leads to Success

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This is the snappy, short-form version of the interview. If you prefer a long-form, podcast-style version of the interview, you can find it here:

A few videos back, I talked about my ingredients for success as an entrepreneur, and one of the ingredients I mentioned is the importance of embracing failure.

I noticed there were a number of comments on that video asking about the importance of failure as well as requests for more information about my own failures in business. So in this video, I share more of my own failures across all my business ventures, and also go a little more in-depth into why embracing failure is an important component of success.

Business Insider Article Referenced:

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This video is geared for therapists of all kinds, including psychologists, MFTs, LPCCs, social workers, and others in the clinical counseling field.

Welcome to Private Practice Skills! I’m Dr. Marie Fang, psychologist in private practice. I post videos offering tools I learned the hard way about starting and growing private practice so that you don’t have to.

Insta: PrivatePracticeSkills

Music from Epidemic Sound:

This video is not intended as professional or legal advice. Be sure to seek the services of a professional if you are in need of them.

[laurenwolfe]

Thanks as always for your honesty and vulnerability! I'm so glad I never took off as a therapist predominately treating eating disorders in teens because I am now a therapist specializing in decreasing anxiety and improving social skills in children and teens and I love it! My failures along the way have been valuable life lessons.

[lisareed]

I'm really grateful for this video. I'm 57 and going back to school to become a therapist and got my first rejection letter. I am currently writing my essays for another graduate counseling program. It's been a challenge to get back on the horse. This was much needed encouragement. I have been mentoring, and, volunteering for years and dreamed of becoming a counselor for years while I was raising my family. I have built a successful consulting practice in the business world and failed in that endeavor many times, till I achieved success. I really appreciate that you were honest about the struggles you faced and how you kept going till you found the right place to thrive. It was just what I needed to hear. I watched the other video you referenced in this video and found that a great encouragement as well. I have used your principles within my current business with success. I needed the reminder to use your why to motivate you in the other video. Dr. Fang thank you for following your calling and not giving up. Your voice and your embracing being an out of the box person, and needing to find your own way to success has really resonated with me. As someone who is changing directions in life at a stage when others feel you're supposed to be focused on retirement and someone who has always been an out of the box person, you reminded me that being someone that doesn't achieve success using the methods is what has always led me to success and a life of meaning. Thank you for using your gifts and talents to help others and encouraging us to use ours to help others!

[Enchanteralle]

I didn't get to fulfill my goal to pursue a career in microbiology in college. Had a terrible time w/ some physical science classes and also learned that it's not for me. It seemed like a struggle I would never get over and I sat in class feeling that everyone was smarter than me. I questioned if I'll always be inadequate in college. Luckily I took psychology courses and I remember I enjoyed psychology class in high school. Never thought I'd make a career out of it. So that initial failure has taught me to look at what's outside the box which is really life changing. I love being a therapist in private practice now!

[johndosta]

I needed to hear this. Currently about to give up my 11 year career as a county social worker that I never really thrived at to pursue private practice. I'm struggling right now but this video gives me hope. Thankfully I recently got licensed and am able to pursue other things.

[MaryKateHopwood]

Thank you, I've loved hearing this. I'm 40 years old, have two young children, am 3 years into private practice, and due to a chronic condition that has cropped up in the past couple years (PMDD) I'm having to relearn how to do EVERYTHING. It's actually difficult to change the default setting from "I'm suffering because I'm bad/inadequate/there's something wrong with me" to "this isn't working, maybe I can try something else?" Failure has taught me SO MUCH, and I know it will continue to do so. Thank you so, so much for your videos.

[lynettemcdonald]

As a person who always got good grades, it was especially hard for me when I failed the LCSW vignette exam not once, but twice. I was devastated. My future depended on passing & I had studied my brains out, believe me. While taking a prep class and talking with others, who were taking or retaking that exam, I commented to someone that I felt like I had tried everything. She asked me, have you tried EMDR? I had not, so I scheduled as many sessions as I could in the short time before the next exam. What a relief -I passed the test! And I learned that EMDR was very effective. I have since become an EMDR certified therapist, and would not have done so probably without that failure.

[musiiic]

Thank you for this video! I kind of assumed you always had success with every idea and had a smooth path. So I was a bit down on myself. But thank you for this important reminder which gives me strength!

[lavenderteal]

I will be 40 in August. I am applying to graduate schools now. I ended my undergrad degree with a 2.17 gpa 12 years ago. Needless to say most colleges dont accept that for grad programs. Its been a challenge explaining why my gpa was so low without making it an excuse. Telling them that when I first went to college I had crippling anxiety and depression without healthy coping skills. I also had a newborn and a 4 year old. I was still working full time and I was a full time online student. Of course now with more work and life experience I am a different person. I am excited and terrified to not only return to school, but to even become a counselor. I have the fear of failing at getting all the school work done while still working full time. I have wanted to be a therapist since I was 14. I failed my first psych class in community college, so I gave up. I am now willing to embrace failing without the feelings of shame.

[cynthianyberg]

Hi Dr. Fang,

I am curious to know if it’s ethical for us to ask our clients for google reviews? How do we get noticed on google without reviews?

Thanks so much for all of your content!

[parisjoy]

Do you, or anyone think, opening up a private practice RIGHT OUT of finishing clinical hours and getting license is too soon?