(Writer's Story on Failure)
Words of encouragement, yet they left me feeling even more crumbled; I was aware I could have done better. Key word: better. 

There was this fear that embedded into my mind that if I didn't succeed or win a competition, I would never be good enough—a complete failure. However, I misunderstood the term “failure”. 

Growing up, I have failed countless times: flunked several practical tests in the laboratory; only managed to get the reserved spot for an interview I enthusiastically prepared for; participated in a coding competition and barely got my place in the finale; joined the same competition the following year and performed even worse. I remembered how hard I sobbed on the bathroom floor after every event listed thinking that I will never succeed; the nostalgic fear of failing convinced me not to try anymore. 
 

But what exactly is success to you? Is it just about winning? Is the effort put into the process not worth it? 

In life, people will fail; human beings make mistakes, and we are not machines coded to perfection. Therefore, try to positively accept failure as it is a reflection of you that needs improvement; it is an indication that you can get better.

Failure is crucial even if it is a painful phase in life. Every failed attempt will teach you a lesson that will make you better and prevent a mistake from happening again; every experience will build you into a stronger individual. Like a common phrase society likes to mention, "Behind every successful person, there are a lot of unsuccessful years—but repeated failure is no guarantee of eventual success."

(A song for a tough day: Eyes Open—Taylor Swift)

Failure is not the end of the world, although you definitely can’t go back to change the past. Like a book, one ripped page doesn’t indicate that the story ends here— how you choose to cope with failure will determine whether you continue and discover a beautiful story awaits, or give up and miss out on the unpredictable adventure as time quickly passes by. 

So, what kind of life do you want: hiding in the corner, dwelling in your bad decisions, or stepping out and conquering them?