Today’s society seeks success and avoids failure, preferring smooth sailing. However, Finland, a Nordic country whose educational philosophy is highly recognized by everyone, has established an annual “International Day For Failure” to remind everyone that only by facing failure calmly can they pursue success in future life.
(Photo via unsplash.com)
TAIPEI, TAIWAN (Merxwire) –In society today, success is pursued in almost everything, and few people want to encounter failure. People want to get into an ideal school, enter their dream job, buy their first car or house, and successfully create a new career. No one wants to fail, they just hope everything goes well. However, there is a Nordic country whose educational philosophy is highly recognized by parents, but it has established an “International Day For Failure” to remind everyone to cherish and face failure so that they can pursue success in future life. This country is “Finland”.
This event originated in 2010 and is held on the local Aalto University campus in Finland. The purpose is to encourage college students who are worried that they are not good enough and dare not pursue the life or job they want. Therefore, a Failure Day event was held on October 13, and everyone was invited to share their “failure” experiences on social networks on this day. On the one hand, release the sealed pressure, and on the other hand, let yourself learn to face the setbacks of the past calmly.
On this day, you can prepare a failure story you want to share, such as burning a cake, being late and missing a critical moment such as an exam or interview, photos of falling while exercising, etc., anything that causes you frustration in life. These authentic experiences could let you confess your failures experience. Then post them on your IG or Facebook and label them “#dayforfailure”. This sharing allowed us to face our past predicaments with more humor and get rid of the fear of being judged. When you read other people’s stories, you realize that failure happens every day and can happen to anyone.
Some people may ask why we should celebrate failure. Because Finns believe that if you dare to bear failure from an early age, you will eventually reap the fruits of success. The relationship between failure and success is not antagonistic, but rather the process and the result of future development. Since childhood, we have been learning through setbacks, learning to speak, learn to walk, and learn to hold a pen to write. Each child has a different number of falls, a different speed of learning, and a different degree of completeness in the end. But most of them can overcome difficulties and reach the stage end.
In the process of growing up, people who can bravely accept setbacks are less likely to equate themselves with many negative words. Therefore, they are more able to view things objectively and continue to improve and practice. They will correct themselves in the face of failure, will not be easily defeated, and will be more confident. In the process, they understand the difficulties that exist in life and know the limits that may be encountered during execution, so they can also show a tolerant attitude towards others.
(Photo via unsplash.com)
Finns believe that people who can face failure usually have high resilience and will not get stuck in failure. If the performance is not as good as expected, they will correct and start over. Even if they feel depressed for a while, they can quickly pick themselves up and try again without losing their sense of adventure or giving up easily. Facing the unknown world and difficulties, they are always adventurers. They can review their mistakes, and they won’t blame themselves but reflect on subsequent ways to make up for them. One day they will be able to embrace success.
As we grow older, we are always bound by the existing framework, afraid of difficulties in execution, afraid of unsuccessful results, and afraid of trying new things outside our comfort zone. Forgetting the excitement of a newborn child, and losing the spirit of adventure. Of course, this may be due to the education and development that started in childhood, which makes us pay too much attention to the moment of success and ignore the failure that existed in life.
International Day For Failure in Finland cannot help us solve the problem directly, but it can cultivate the correct attitude toward success. It allows us to see clearly the nature of failure, not to avoid failure, not to over-examine ourselves, and to objectively improve the facts. Prepare a failure story that you want to share and make it known to the world on October 13th. You will find that it is not difficult to expose failure, and this thing that once frustrated you has now irrigated you and become the nutrient for your growth.
