I believe society has robbed today’s youth of failure.

Each generation has had its own way of preparing kids for life. Baby boomers raised what became known as the “latchkey kids”—children who let themselves in after school, made their own snacks, and learned independence because both parents were working. Earlier generations emphasized grit, responsibility, and taking your lumps when life knocked you down. But over time, society softened. Participation ribbons made everyone a “winner,” team learning ensured even the weakest students passed, and many well-meaning parents stepped in to smooth every bump—solving problems for their kids, blaming others when things went wrong, or giving too much without requiring effort in return.

But what happens when we remove the sting of failure? If children never learn to struggle, setbacks are avoided and disappointments are cushioned, are we also stealing the thrill of victory?

Aha! ~ Failure is a state of mind

Failure is not the opposite of success—it’s the teacher of it.

Struggle teaches resilience, setbacks spark creativity, and disappointments fuel resourcefulness. Each stumble forces us to think differently, to solve problems, and to build the kind of confidence that only comes from navigating obstacles on our own.  Let them tie their own shoes, butter their own toast, look up the meaning of a big word, do their own budget and sell tickets for their hockey fundraiser themselves. 

Of course, not all failures feel like a bouquet of roses. Some bite hard. But experiences contain polarities – yin and yang – so when we accept the outcome, search for the lesson, and release what we cannot control, those very hiccups become the stepping stones that strengthen us.  Napoleon Hill refers to it as, “…how to fail successfully”. 

And here’s the real brilliance: the faster and more frequently we allow our children to explore, discover, fail, and figure it out themselves, the faster they grow in creativity and confidence.  After all, ease builds dependence, hardship builds strength.

My dad always said, “Anything worth having is worth working for.”

Ditch the bubble wrap and just go for it.

It takes patience to mentor and raise confident capable children, employees and affiliates, too!  There’s nothing like “doing”.  Human U membership is only $11.11 per month. Join us here and join our rich, live conversations weekly at 4:30 eastern every Wednesday.