Is failure overrated?
“Don’t be afraid of failure; be afraid of not trying.”
Maybe you’ve heard that advice before. It sounds encouraging, but if you’re like many people, it might also leave you feeling skeptical or frustrated. After all, failing at something important can be deeply uncomfortable. The idea that failure is always a stepping stone to success often feels like an oversimplification.
While it’s true that failure can lead to growth, a recent study questions the idea that failure is inherently beneficial. It asks an important question: Does failure really make people stronger, or can it sometimes lead to stagnation or even defeat?
What the Study Looked At
Researchers from top universities explored how often failure truly leads to success and whether we tend to overestimate those rates. They compared real-world statistics to people’s perceptions of "success after failure" scenarios.1
One example involved aspiring lawyers who failed the bar exam on their first attempt. Researchers documented how many eventually passed and compared this to participants' estimates. They also examined other scenarios, like students retaking the GED and people making lifestyle changes after a health scare.
What the Study Found
Participants consistently overestimated how often failure leads to success:
Bar Exam: People assumed more aspiring lawyers pass the bar exam on their second try than actually do.
GED: Participants believed only 27% of students would continue to fail after an initial GED failure, but the real number is closer to 40%.
Heart Attacks and Lifestyle Change: When asked how many people make meaningful changes after a heart attack, participants guessed 63%. In reality, less than half—just 47%—succeed in doing so.
These findings highlight a common optimism bias: the assumption that failure often leads to growth, even when evidence shows it doesn’t always work that way.
What This Means for You
1. Avoiding the "Ostrich Effect"
Failure can feel overwhelming, and many people respond by ignoring it entirely—a behavior researchers call the "ostrich effect." Instead of using failure as a learning opportunity, they bury their heads in the sand, avoiding feedback and the problem itself.
Think about a time when you avoided addressing a setback. Maybe you didn’t look at your credit card bill after overspending, or you sidestepped discussing missed goals in your health journey. Avoidance is a natural response, but it often blocks progress.
Facing failure head-on creates the space for reflection and growth. It allows us to identify what went wrong and how to improve moving forward. Avoidance might feel easier in the short term, but engaging with failure—even when it’s uncomfortable—is where the real progress begins.
2. Understanding Optimism Bias
Many people overestimate how easily they’ll succeed after failure. While a positive attitude is valuable, overconfidence can lead to frustration if things don’t go as planned.
This bias might explain why you’ve tried the same approach multiple times—whether it’s a strict diet, an intense workout plan, or another goal—expecting different results. Breaking this cycle means balancing optimism with realistic expectations and focusing on strategies that align with your circumstances and goals.
3. Using Failure as a Tool for Growth
Failure isn’t the end—it’s information. Each setback provides insights into what works and what doesn’t. By approaching your journey as a series of experiments, you can treat failure as part of the process rather than a final outcome.
Set realistic expectations: Not every strategy will succeed, and that’s okay. Every attempt is an opportunity to learn, refine your approach, and build better habits over time. With persistence and the willingness to adapt, small steps forward will eventually lead to meaningful, lasting change.
Closing Thoughts
Failure isn’t just a possibility in life—it’s inevitable. But it doesn’t have to define you. Each setback offers a chance to reflect, learn, and adjust your course. Growth isn’t about avoiding failure but embracing it as part of the journey.
Remember, progress is measured not by how often you avoid falling but by how often you rise after each stumble. The road to meaningful change is rarely straightforward, but it’s always worth traveling. With patience, persistence, and a commitment to learning from every experience, you can turn challenges into stepping stones toward the life you want.
Michael Beiter
Personal Trainer
Nutrition, Sleep, Stress Management, and Recovery Coach
References
Eskreis-Winkler, Lauren, Kaitlin Woolley, Eda Erensoy, and Minhee Kim. 2024. The Exaggerated Benefits of Failure. Journal of Experimental Psychology. General 153 (7): 1920–37.
