Imagine you’ve poured your heart and soul into a project, a dream, or a relationship. You’ve envisioned the applause, the success, the joy. But then, reality hits when you face rejection, disappointment or outright failure. The initial reaction is almost universal: a sinking feeling in your chest, self-doubt creeping in, maybe even tears. Friends and family might offer sympathy, but deep down, you wonder if you’re cut out for this. You ask, “Why me? What did I do wrong?”; It’s a moment that feels like the end of the road.
But what if failure isn’t the end? What if it’s the beginning of something greater?
As we’re obsessed with winning, it’s easy to forget that every great success story is built on a foundation of failures. We are conditioned to avoid mistakes, to view setbacks as shameful, and to celebrate only the highlights of our lives. Yet, the most innovative minds and resilient organisations know that failure is not the enemy, it’s the secret ingredient to growth, creativity, and lasting achievement. The philosophy of “fail faster, learn better, succeed bigger”; is not just a catchy phrase, but a mindset that can transform how we approach our goals, our work and even our sense of self-worth.
My journey has been a testament to the power of embracing failure. When I released my book on Don Jazzy, Donjazzyfied, I had dreams of financial transformation and widespread acclaim. The reality was less glamorous: the book didn’t change my bank account overnight, but it did something arguably more valuable. It gave me visibility. Suddenly, people in my industry knew my name. The doors that opened, the connections I made, and the credibility I gained became the launchpad for future opportunities. That experience taught me that sometimes, the rewards of our efforts are not immediate or monetary. Sometimes, the real win is in being seen, heard and remembered.
The lesson repeated itself when I hosted the Knowledge Bank Virtual Summit last year. I envisioned a packed virtual venue, buzzing with hundreds of eager learners. Instead, fewer than 30 people attended. On paper, it looked like a flop. But in reality, it was a masterclass in event marketing. I learned what works, what doesn’t, and how to better engage an audience for future events. The small turnout forced me to pay attention to every attendee, to personalise the experience, and to experiment with new strategies. That summit may not have made headlines, but it made me a better organiser and a more empathetic communicator. The lessons learnt were applied in the virtual launch of my new book, Media Money, which was a grand success.
My journey as a content creator on social media has been another exercise in patience and perspective. I don’t always get the views or viral moments I crave, but every video, every post, is impacting lives one person at a time. The true reward is not in the numbers, but in the messages I receive from those who have been inspired or helped by my work.
These experiences reinforce that nothing ventured, nothing gained. Each attempt, regardless of the outcome, is a step forward. Every effort counts, and every failure is a lesson in disguise.
This mindset is not unique to me. All around us, there are stories of Nigerians and global icons who have turned failure into fuel for their greatest successes. Funke Akindele is known for her brilliance in Nollywood. She took a bold leap into politics as the Lagos Deputy Governorship candidate in 2023. Despite her fame, her political bid was unsuccessful. For many, such a public setback would be crushing. But Akindele has spoken candidly about how this defeat, combined with personal losses, led her to a period of deep reflection and growth. She emerged from the experience more resilient, more courageous and more committed to giving back. Rather than seeing her political journey as a failure, she calls it a transformative experience, one that made her bolder and more knowledgeable. Her story is a reminder that failure is not the end, but a necessary step on the path to greater impact.
The music industry offers another powerful example in Skales, the Nigerian artist whose hit song Shake Body first took off in 2015. While the song was a success, Skales’ career faced different dynamics in the years that followed. Nearly a decade later, Shake Body experienced a viral resurgence thanks to a TikTok dance trend started by Spanish football stars, particularly Lamine Yamal. The song shot back up the charts, and Skales found himself on a European tour, describing the experience as a restartfor his life and career. His comeback shows that persistence and openness to new opportunities can turn past work into present success, even after periods of obscurity or disappointment.
Bill Gates’ first company, Traf-O-Data, wasn’t popularly accepted, but the lessons helped him build Microsoft into a global tech leader. Steve Jobs was famously fired from Apple after a series of failed products, only to return years later and lead the company to unprecedented heights with the iPod and iPhone. Colonel Sanders’ KFC recipe was rejected countless times before he finally found success in his sixties. Jack Ma faced rejection from jobs and universities, and several failed businesses, before founding Alibaba. Even Henry Ford’s first two car companies failed, leaving him broke, but he persisted and eventually revolutionised the automobile industry.
These stories explore how the willingness to learn from setbacks, adapt, and try again is often the real difference between those who succeed and those who give up.
Entrepreneurial grit is exemplified by Temitope Omotolani, co-founder of Crowdyvest. After losing significant money in her early ventures, she refused to let failure define her. Omotolani borrowed more funds, pivoted her business model, and partnered with farmers to stabilise costs. Even when pests destroyed her crops, she adapted by selling produce directly from the farm. Her story is a testament to learning from setbacks and persisting until success is achieved.
Similarly, Oriyomi, founder of KojeOriginals, saw his business devastated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of giving up, he joined a business recovery program, learned new strategies, and relocated his showroom to a more affordable area. Within months, his business rebounded, with increased orders and revenue. Oriyomi’s journey highlights how embracing new knowledge and adapting after failure can lead to renewed growth and impact
These failures have provided valuable lessons for the ecosystem, emphasising the importance of resilience, adaptability and learning from mistakes to build stronger businesses in the future. Each closure is a case study in what not to do, and each founder who tries again brings hard-won wisdom to their next venture.
What unites all these stories, whether personal, national, or global, is the understanding that failure is not a dead end. It is a teacher, a coach, a motivator and a necessary companion on the road to success. The key is to reflect honestly on what went wrong, document the lessons learned, and use those insights to refine your approach. It’s about sharing knowledge, so others can avoid the same pitfalls, and about creating environments where people feel safe to take risks and innovate.
To fall in love with failure is to reframe it not as defeat but as feedback. It’s about setting learning goals, not just achievement goals. It’s about celebrating effort and progress, not just outcomes. And it’s about recognising that the real measure of impact is not always found in numbers or applause, but in the lives changed, the lessons learned, and the courage gained.
As Olushola Olaleye wisely puts it, “How about we begin to rethink failure? How about we change the PR of failure not as something fatal, but as something that is an inevitable part of the process leading to success?”;
Embracing this mindset unlocks new levels of creativity, resilience, and achievement. Every effort counts. By venturing boldly and embracing each outcome, you are not just chasing success; you are building it, one lesson and one life at a time. In the end, it’s not about how many times you fall, but how many times you rise, learn, and dare to try again. Daring is better than staring.
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Featured Image by August de Richelieu for Pexels.
