Back in the day, my friends jokingly called me “hari ng sablay” (king of failures).

Whether it was a new venture that flopped or a project that didn’t pan out as planned, I’ve had my fair share of dust-ups. But here’s the kicker—each failure was a lesson in disguise. I learned more from these setbacks than from any of my smooth-sailing successes. It’s like every time I hit the ground, I picked up a new piece of the puzzle, learning a bit more about navigating the tricky waters of business and life.

Like my journey through a series of stumbles, your goal is to transform every slip, every fall, and every failed attempt into a stepping stone towards greater understanding and strategic mastery. It’s about turning the ‘hari ng sablay’ moments into your most valuable lessons.

The issue is, most people dread failure. It’s seen as a blot on the record, something to be avoided at all costs. This fear can keep you from taking risks or trying out new ideas. It can make you play it safe when you should be playing it smart.

Here’s the deal—failure isn’t the opposite of success; it’s part of success. Each failure is packed with insights about what works, what doesn’t, and how to sharpen your strategies. It’s not about falling down; it’s about what you pick up when you get back up.

So, the shift we need? Start viewing failures as gold mines of wisdom. Instead of beating yourself up over a setback, dig into it. Analyze what went wrong and why. Look for patterns, and adjust your approach accordingly.

Take a look back at a recent failure. Break it down—what went wrong? What did you learn? How can you use this knowledge to improve? Write these insights down and refer back to them whenever you’re planning your next moves.

Make this practice routine. Soon, you’ll start seeing failures not as roadblocks but as road maps guiding you towards smarter, more strategic actions.