When was the last time you felt like a failure? Perhaps it was a project that didn’t go as planned, a relationship that ended unexpectedly, or a goal you didn’t achieve. In those moments, it’s easy to feel stuck and even worthless. But what if failure is not something to be feared but an essential part of the journey toward a purposeful and fulfilling life?
Failure is a natural part of learning
Failure is a natural and necessary part of learning. Think about how children learn to walk. They stumble, fall, and cry but get back up and try again. Each fall teaches them something new about balance and their own abilities. Eventually, they succeed.
As adults, we often forget this simple truth. We expect ourselves to get everything right on the first try and, when we don’t, we label ourselves as failures.
We see this all the time at our practice. Many of our clients struggle to meet their expectations of themselves and the desire to be “good enough”. They are burdened with thoughts of “should” – “I should be better at this”, “I should have reached my potential by now”, “I should just get over it”. These expectations are often unrealistic and unattainable because they don’t leave space for being human – to make mistakes and learn from them.

Stepping out of your comfort zone
Stepping out of your comfort zone is the only way to grow. If you never try anything new, you’ll stay stuck in the same patterns and routines. But when you push yourself to take risks, even if you fail, you’re expanding your horizons and building resilience.
Reframe the word failure. It means you’ve dared to challenge yourself and reach for something beyond your current capabilities. It means you’re striving for a life of purpose, growth, and fulfilment.
The only true failure is stopping
Something we frequently see when people step into an ice bath during our cold exposure workshop, is negative self-talk. The initial shock can trigger a flood of self-sabotaging thoughts, such as ‘I can’t do this’ or ‘this is too much.’ In these moments, it’s crucial to interrupt that pattern with a mantra or empowering phrase. For example, repeating something like ‘I am strong enough to handle this’ or ‘I can embrace discomfort for my growth’ can shift your focus and help you stay present. By reframing the experience with positive self-talk, you build mental resilience, making it easier to push through discomfort not just in the ice bath, but in other challenging areas of life too.
When you view failure in this way, it loses its power to make you feel stuck or worthless. Instead, you see it as a necessary part of the journey. You become more resilient, adaptable, and willing to take risks. Ultimately, you become more successful because you’re no longer paralyzed by the fear of failure.

Living a life of purpose and freedom
Failure is not something to be avoided but something to be embraced. It’s a sign that you’re alive, growing, and striving for something greater. So, the next time you stumble or fall, remember: you haven’t failed—you’re simply learning, growing, and moving one step closer to your goals.
Want to practice what you’ve learned?
I encourage you to try something challenging today such as taking a cold shower, signing up for a fitness class you’ve been avoiding, or even having a difficult conversation you’ve been putting off.
These moments of discomfort are powerful opportunities to practise resilience and shift how you talk to yourself. By stepping into these challenges, just like you would in an ice bath, you train your mind and body to stay calm under pressure, adapt to stress, and ultimately grow stronger. Remember, growth happens when you move beyond your comfort zone—whether it’s enduring the cold, facing a fear, or tackling a personal goal head-on.