Falling Forward: How Failing Five Times Made Me Unstoppable

They say failure is the best teacher. But when it knocks you down again and again, it can start to feel like a bully rather than a mentor. My story isn't about a sudden, dramatic success. It's about falling hard—five times, to be exact—and finding a way to rise with purpose each time. If you're struggling, feeling like giving up, or questioning your worth after multiple setbacks, I wrote this for you.

Chapter 1: The Dream That Started It All

Growing up, I always wanted to start my own business. Not because I wanted to be rich, but because I craved freedom. I wanted to build something meaningful from scratch. So, at 23, fresh out of college and with more confidence than experience, I launched my first startup—an online store selling eco-friendly products.

I spent months building a website, creating content, and sourcing products. But I had no marketing strategy, no budget for ads, and no clear audience. The result? Crickets. My first business died quietly, leaving me broke and embarrassed.

Chapter 2: The Second Shot and the Same Mistake

Lesson learned—or so I thought. My second venture was a tutoring service for high school students. This time, I partnered with a friend. We invested in flyers, rented a tiny office, and even hosted a free workshop.

But we never discussed how to divide responsibilities. We clashed often, and the partnership turned toxic. Within six months, the business folded, and our friendship went with it. That failure cut deeper—it wasn’t just about money; it was personal.

Chapter 3: Burnout Disguised as Determination

Despite two painful setbacks, I was still determined. I believed persistence would pay off. So I started freelancing full-time, hoping to eventually scale it into an agency.

At first, it worked. I had clients, steady income, and flexibility. But I said yes to everything, worked 14-hour days, and skipped weekends. I ignored the signs of burnout until I found myself staring at my laptop, completely numb. I couldn’t work, think, or even sleep properly.

That was failure number three—burning out so badly I had to stop working entirely for two months.

Chapter 4: Reinvention or Repetition?

After some healing, I took a different route and landed a job at a tech startup. I thought working for someone else might be the answer. And for a while, it was. I learned about structure, systems, and collaboration.

But that itch to create something of my own returned. So I tried again—this time launching a digital course for creatives. I applied everything I’d learned: targeted marketing, clear niche, solid content.

But it flopped. Hard. Sales were minimal, and I realized I had built something I liked, not what the audience needed. Fourth failure. This one hurt the most because I thought I had finally gotten it right.

Chapter 5: The Breaking Point

At this stage, I started questioning everything. Was I just not cut out for this? Were some people simply destined to fail? I even considered going back to school for a completely different career.

But during a walk one day, I listened to a podcast episode about the growth mindset—the belief that abilities and intelligence can be developed through effort, learning, and perseverance. Something clicked. I realized that each failure had taught me something valuable.

The first taught me to understand my audience.

The second showed the importance of healthy partnerships.

The third taught me to value rest and boundaries.

The fourth reminded me to serve others, not just myself.

These weren’t wasted years. They were reps in the gym of life.

Chapter 6: The Turnaround

Armed with this mindset, I began again, but this time slowly. I started writing consistently online, sharing my lessons, not my successes. I stopped chasing big wins and focused on serving a small, engaged community. I built trust. And eventually, I monetized through coaching, digital products, and partnerships.

It wasn’t explosive, but it was sustainable.

And this time, it worked.

Chapter 7: What I Know Now

Looking back, I don't regret failing five times. In fact, I consider it a privilege. Those failures humbled me, shaped me, and forced me to evolve.

A growth mindset isn’t about blind optimism. It’s about being open to change, embracing discomfort, and learning from pain. It’s understanding that failure is data, not identity.

Now, when I fail—because I still do—I ask: What is this trying to teach me?

Moral of the Story:

Success isn’t avoiding failure. It’s refusing to let failure define you.

Whether you’re on your first attempt or your fifth, don’t give up. The difference between those who succeed and those who don’t isn’t talent. It’s resilience, reflection, and a willingness to grow.

So fall. But fall forward. And keep going.

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Thank you for reading...

Regards: Fazal Hadi