The BrandProv Blog

“What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?” – Vincent Van Gough

In this blog post I explore the final Improv “rule” on my list … Failure.  In Improv we are encouraged to fail.  To make mistakes. To push through the fear. Why?  Because what’s on other side of that FEAR is where it all begins. Where the scene comes alive.  Where all the fun happens!

I also believe this is true in life.  Big time.

In my life, all my failures have been critical to helping me get where I am today.  I like to think of it as failing forward.  

One of my epic fails was when I gave up everything for love (or what I thought was love) and was burned. I left it all … my successful career … the loft apartment I loved … my friends … my family … my city.  Within months of moving it all started to fall apart and I quickly found myself alone, broken, terrified and totally ashamed.

At first I was just so angry … at him, yah … but mostly at myself. How could I be so stupid? I’ve always taken care of myself, how did I get into this situation? Why didn’t I listen to my gut? What will I do? Why did I have to move so fast?  I was a walking maniac and so mad at myself.

Well after my pity party ended, I pulled myself together.  I slowly started to rebuild my life, myself, my career.  This failure became my greatest gift!  I even get goose pimples as I write this. Why?  Because just 5 years later … that entire failure, that entire experience has absolutely given me all the gifts I have today.

• I now live in Chicago, the city I’ve always dreamed of living in.
• I am back in the career I love and it is even more fulfilling than before.
• I found Improv and ended up graduating from Second City’s Conservatory.
• I became VP of Membership for MPI’s largest chapter in the world, The Chicago Area Chapter.
• I developed a platform as an event emcee and virtual TV host, which has been a life long dream.
• I have traveled to places I would have never dreamed of.
• I started this blog!!!
• I have made some of the most amazing, smart and incredible new friends.
• And best for last … I fell back in love.  (this time with the right one)

The point of my digging into the “Holler failure archives” is to remind you that it’s ok to fail and that it’s actually critical you do fail!  You must NEVER let your fear of “what if” hold you back from taking a risk.  Even if it does end bad.  You WILL recover and guess what … you WILL come back an even more amazing version of yourself!

Of course this isn’t my first and only failure. And no doubt there will be more as I go out there and continue to live my best life and take risks.  But there are a few things I know for sure about failure and I want share them with you:

1. It’s critical – without it we cannot grow, we cannot thrive and we will not learn.
2. It’s all about choices – Because you are out there taking risks and living your best life, you will fail from time to time.  It’s a given.  The key here is how you re-bound and that is all about choices.  You have a choice everyday to be happy, to get out of bed, to treat people kind, to work out, etc, etc.  So make the choice of YOU … believe in yourself … get up and get going.  You WILL prevail.
3. It helps to talk about the failure – Phone a friend.  Discuss with a colleague. Write in your journal. These are all antidotes to your resistance, your fear.  In some of my darkest days, those I love the most have pulled me out.  You never walk alone.
4. It is a tool – Openly acknowledging failure is often a catalyst for innovation that takes our work from good to great. So admit your failure and share it. Did you know there is an entire website dedicated to this exact concept, check them out at www.admittingfailure.com.
5. It builds character – Bottom line:  Aren’t people with a story so much more interesting than those who have had everything handed to them on a silver platter?!   Failure and the lessons from each one are all part of YOUR story.

What is the greatest lesson on failure that you have learned?

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