Learn that failure is good

[Evil Eye]

Each week a global thinker from the worlds of philosophy, science, psychology or the arts is given a minute to put forward a radical, inspiring or controversial idea – no matter how improbable – that they believe would change the world.



This week, Neil Sjoberg, a youth worker and golf course manager from London suggests introducing a new subject at school called learning to lose.



For most of us in the working world, failure is a normal part of everyday life. Developing the skills to cope with failure is the key to personal success throughout life. But teachers at schools make pupils feel equally talented, because this makes them popular with the parents and pupils.



Schools avoid regular testing and rote learning. Some don’t spilt up year groups according to academic ability and give prizes to every child at sports day. Pupils therefore leave school vulnerable with a false sense of achievement, and they are frustrated and angry when they do not immediately succeed in the real working world.



So my solution is to introduce a compulsory “learning to lose” subject for all children, with a failure exam that they have to pass. Children would be told what their ranking is against the national average and then write about where they think they did worst.



Children need to be taught that failure is frequent and normal, it is not the end of the world and we should all help this by a cultural shift in admitting that we failed. Only by learning to lose can we achieve success.

Source: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20120417-learn-that-failure-is-good





I'm not so sure about that solution, but the general idea certainly makes sense.

Thoughts?

 

[Jazzy]

I don't agree with the solution but I feel failure is a good thing to go through. If you don't fail then how do you learn how to do things better? Failure makes you strive to get it right and once you do, it's the best feeling in the world!

 

[Evil Eye]

And if you can't cope with failure you'll only end up depressed somewhere along the line.

 

[Fatal Dawn]

I'm inspired by failure. In one of my courses I was a dead last. I began with a failing grade and I could not grasp any of the concepts. I was frustrated beyond belief, I almost thought of giving up and dropping the class. But I don't accept failure - I give 100 percent and if that doesn't work I give 110 and if that doesn't work I give 150 and more and more. I went to tutoring every day of the week. I stayed up each night until 2 in the morning, practicing and practicing and practicing until the concepts became second nature. I didn't eat or sleep until late-semester when my grades improved dramatically. Now at the end of the semester there's light at the end of this tunnel as I am doing quite well for myself.



A man fails many times but is only a failure until he gives up. Children shouldn't be told that success is handed out on a silver platter to everyone in life because it requires unbelievable work ethic. Nobody gave me anything, not even a chance. Even the teacher wanted me to give up, so if I accepted failure I shudder to think where I would be.. While it is okay to fail at some things, in life you will find situations where it just isn't one of your options..

 

[Nebulous]

Ive heard of schools & private sporting clubs/groups not proclaiming anyone a winner after a game is over, all that really matters is that the kids had fun.. What a load of bull, kids need to fail so they can improve and/or accept when things dont go as planned. Life is tough when you are an adult and there wont be anyone there to make all your situations into winning ones.