When I first learned about the “I LOVE FAILURE” conference, it sounded like a cliché from someone’s inspirational posts on social media. However, the event proved to be much more. The speakers who took the stage shared their imperfections, becoming vulnerable in front of the audience to impart valuable lessons. The conference format was special and unusual compared to standard events.
Over two days, there were 3 or 4 sessions, each lasting almost 2 hours, where multiple speakers recounted their experiences. Between these sessions were breaks of 1 or 2 hours, allowing for connections with other participants or even the speakers themselves. Attending alone proved advantageous, as it encouraged me to meet new people and engage in conversations that pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped shape my vision for the future.
The speeches were impactful, with statements that resonated deeply with me.
This was actor’s Alex Bogdan line, the first speaker of the conference. He taught us that our lives are not about adhering to an ideal routine, but about embracing the unexpected. Sometimes, a mistake can add uniqueness to our daily lives, rather than being a disaster.
A statement pointe out by another speaker noted. This made me realize that while we strive for professional excellence to gain attention and appreciation, we often neglect to invest time in family and friends who truly care about us, or in making new connections that could lead to stronger bonds.
One of the most common themes at the conference. It was likened to a button that, when pressed, redirects you to something you deeply desire but are not yet ready to recognize. This simple but profound idea shifts the focus from asking “Why is this happening to me?” to seeing our actions as steps toward our ultimate dreams, which may only become clear when viewed in retrospect.
This concept resonated with my experience as a Business Analyst. Improvements are not born from a single stroke of genius but are the result of constant updates and collaborations to meet client needs. Similarly, in my engineering studies, I’ve learned that the greatest principles in mathematics or physics were often discovered through trial and error, with unsuccessful experiments providing valuable insights. Life, too, is about learning from our mistakes to improve our “dataset.”
It was yet another powerful message, reminding us that when we stop learning from our mistakes, we cease to grow internally. From childhood, we learn through repetition and the occasional stumble—as my mother would recount from my early walking days—falling only to be caught, as if in a baseball game.
This adage captures the conference’s spirit: imagining boundless possibilities while taking incremental steps to actualize them. The conference taught me the value of embracing the opportunities presented by failure and the courage to take small steps toward our dreams, even if they initially seem like mistakes. These missteps are essential for learning and evolving into our best selves.
We should all appreciate failure for the remarkable power it bestows upon us to become the heroes of our inner child who may have never dreamed of our current achievements.
