Introduction
For so long, the concept of “failure” has been a dirty word. In the game of life, there are winners and losers, and no one wants to be on the losing team. Those who have grown up learning (and believing) that “failure is not an option” and the goal is “winning at any cost” have dreaded and despised even the thought of failure. Yet, those who are true innovators have learned that not only is failure an option, but it is also a necessary step in the process of learning and growing and innovating. According to Jeanne Liedtka, “Most humans are driven by a fear of mistakes, so they focus more on preventing errors than on seizing opportunities. They opt for inaction rather than action when a choice risks failure. But there is no innovation without action…”1 Therefore, it is imperative that educators begin to teach their students that failure is not final but is only a means to an end—there can be no innovation without failure. This will require a change in mindset that will allow students to see that failure is inevitable in the process of learning and should be welcomed as a teaching tool in their arsenal of skills.
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