Why Failing in My 20s Was the Best Thing

In my early 20s, I thought life was supposed to be a straight line: graduate, get a good job, climb the ladder, buy a car, maybe even a house. Instead, what I got was failure—repeatedly. At the time, it felt like my world was falling apart. Looking back now, I realize those failures shaped me more than any success ever could.

The First Big Fall

My first “real” job out of university lasted six months. I went in confident, believing I’d prove myself and move up quickly. Instead, I struggled to meet targets, made mistakes I couldn’t hide, and eventually, my manager let me go. That was the first time I tasted professional failure. I remember walking home in shock, replaying every error in my head, convinced I wasn’t good enough for anything.

Chasing the Wrong Dreams

After that, I jumped into a business idea with friends. We thought we’d launch the next big thing—an online store. We invested time, energy, and endless late nights. But we had no plan, no clear audience, and no idea how to manage money. Within a year, we’d burned out and shut it down. Another failure. Another blow to my confidence.

What Failure Felt Like

At the time, it was humiliating. I watched people around me post shiny career updates on LinkedIn, while I was quietly drowning in self-doubt. Failure made me feel behind, broken, and left out of the success story everyone else seemed to be writing. Nights were long, thoughts were heavy, and I questioned if I’d ever figure life out.

The Turning Point

It took time—and a lot of reflection—for me to see failure differently. Being fired taught me humility and the importance of learning before trying to lead. My failed business taught me about resilience, finances, and the reality that passion without strategy doesn’t last. Most importantly, both experiences forced me to confront myself, not just the world.

I realized failing wasn’t the end—it was a teacher. Each setback stripped away illusions and pointed me toward what actually mattered: growth, persistence, and purpose.

What I Learned From Failing Early

• Resilience is built, not born. Falling flat taught me how to get back up, dust myself off, and try again. That skill is priceless.
• Failure clears out false paths. Losing that job and that business showed me what I didn’t want, which was just as important as discovering what I did.
• Comparison kills clarity. Everyone’s timeline is different. The more I compared my failures to someone else’s highlights, the worse I felt. The moment I stopped, I started moving forward.
• Success isn’t instant. The messy middle—the trial and error—is where real growth happens. I’d rather fail young and learn, than never take risks at all.

Why I’m Grateful for My Failures

Today, I see those years as the foundation of who I am. They taught me grit, adaptability, and self-awareness. They reminded me that failure isn’t a scar—it’s a stepping stone. Without those struggles, I might still be chasing someone else’s definition of success.

I failed in my 20s, yes. But failure gave me perspective. It slowed me down, forced me to reflect, and prepared me for challenges I never imagined I’d face later.

Final Thoughts

If you’re in your 20s and you feel like you’re failing, let me tell you this: you’re not broken. You’re learning. You’re shaping resilience that people who never risk anything will never know. Failure doesn’t define you—it refines you.

Looking back, I wouldn’t erase those failures even if I could. They weren’t detours; they were the path itself. And strangely enough, they turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me.