Fear of Failure theatlantic.com/business/archive/2009/06/fear-of-failure/19772 June 19, 2009 Business By Megan McArdle June 20, 2009 I'm a big proponent of the transformative power of failure. Failure is nature's way of saying "Don't do that any more!", and is therefore a necessary part of achievement and innovation. And so I'm inclined to like this speech very much. On the other hand, something niggles me about the end: So here is the point: you are going to meet the dragon of failure in your life. You may not get into the school you want, or you may get kicked out of the school you are in. You may get rejected by the girl of your dreams, or, God forbid, get into an accident beyond your control. But the point is, everything happens for a reason. At the time, it may not be clear. And certainly the pain and the shame are going to be overwhelming and devastating. But as sure as the sun comes up, there will come a time on the next day or next week or next year when you will grab that sword and tell him "Be gone, dragon." Get the news, without the noise. Subscribe to The Atlantic Daily for our editors' guide to what matters in the world. Your newsletter subscriptions are subject to The Atlantic's Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. Thanks for signing up! Megan McArdle is a columnist at Bloomberg View and a former senior editor at The Atlantic. Her new book is The Up Side of Down. Twitter Sign up for The Atlantic's daily newsletter. Each weekday evening, get an overview of the day’s biggest news, along with fascinating ideas, images, and people. 1/5 Your newsletter subscriptions are subject to The Atlantic's Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. Thanks for signing up! Most Popular 2. 1. 3. The SNL Sketch That Left the Cast Helpless The show proved that the right live performances can find comedy even in a dry steak. Shirley Li 4. Bad Bunny Overthrows the Grammys He didn’t win Best Album, and I don’t care. Xochitl Gonzalez 2/5 5. The GOP Has a 2024 Problem Does anyone want to be president? Isabel Fattal 6. The Real Obstacle to Nuclear Power It’s not environmentalists—it’s the nuclear-power industry itself. Jonathan Rauch 7. American Christianity Is Due for a Revival Our society is secularizing, and Christianity seems to be in long-term decline. But renewal is possible. Timothy Keller 3/5 8. The Institutional Arsonist Turns on His Own Party Donald Trump threatens to use his core skills—peddling conspiracy theories, spreading lies, sowing distrust—against the GOP. Peter Wehner 10. 9. Make your inbox more interesting. Each weekday evening, get an overview of the day’s biggest news, along with fascinating ideas, images, and people. See more newsletters 4/5 Ideas that matter. Subscribe and support over 160 years of independent journalism. Subscribe 5/5
