27. What Does Failure Mean?

What does it mean to fail? I failed because I failed to generate the correct knowledge at the time it was needed (David Deutsch said something similar here). I did not fail because I was stupid. I did not fail because the gods or devils conspired against me. I did not fail because I am a failure by definition. I just missed some knowledge, some idea. The ideas I have and how they color me did not fit the situation I was in. That's all. Nothing prevents me from gaining the knowledge that solves my problems. No physical rule or law is making it impossible. I just didn't get it in time. 

Now that we addressed what it means to fail, let's address feeling like a failure. The feeling and the actual failure are different things. We chase success, whatever that means, thinking it will change the feeling but it won't. 

Seth said it wonderfully,

“Stop engaging with the false theory that the best way to stop feeling like a failure is to succeed.”

Deep down I bet some part of you knows this to be true. Hopefully, you try to correct this error, and when you do remember the first part of this post.