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Failing as a Blessing in Disguise

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Published: Aug 24, 2023

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Failing is a blessing in disguise: embracing the lessons of setbacks, the complexity of failure, embracing resilience and perseverance, learning from mistakes, redefining success, fostering humility and empathy, transforming fear into opportunity, conclusion: the blessing within failure.

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Home Essay Samples Life Failure

The Path to Success: How Failure Is A Blessing In Disguise

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Failure can make you stronger

Failure doesn’t have to be an “f” word. It can be a blessing in disguise when we don’t allow fear of failure to hold us back from taking steps toward a better life.

It’s understandable to have a negative attitude towards failure. However, it does possess a silver lining. Failing at something forces us to acknowledge where we have room to improve. This can make us stronger and more resilient as we advance one step closer to success.

Failure is a only a pit stop. With perseverance, you will make it across the finish line. Author Stephen McCranie said “The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.” We are hard-wired to learn by trial and error, so failure is like our teacher.

Failing frequently helps us to clarify what we need to do in order to get to where we want to be. By embracing this learning process, we grow more likely to take risks and strive for our goals without worrying about the sting of obstacles. In this way, persistence leads to success and setbacks can be viewed as an opportunity to toughen-up. It’s a win-win!

While failure can be a blessing in disguise, the fear of failure can easily overwhelm our desires for a better life. Inaction is commonly symptomatic of fear and can leave  you stuck, exactly where you are. Staying within your comfort zone and doing nothing may hurt less than being shot down but, in the long run, it’s always better to have tried and failed than to have made no attempt at all.

“The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. “For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.” according to Psychiatrist and best selling author, M.Scott Peck.

Perfecting a skill through trial and error – whether it’s cooking, building something with our hands, turning a car or anything else – is different to falling flat on your face. It took Thomas Edison 3,000 attempts to create what has become the modern light bulb and his legendary grit only made his success more satisfying – and inspirational. Edison approached this project with the mindset that each setback was simply an opportunity to refine his ideas. If his plan had been to complete the project by lunchtime, then he may have given up, like many of his contemporaries.

“Success is 99% failure,” says Soichiro Honda, founder of Honda Motor Company.

Take a look at the goals you want to achieve. It might be making more money, getting a license, writing a bestselling novel (ahem), or anything else. Ask yourself, “Why haven’t I achieved this yet?” Is fear holding you back? If so, what can you do to manage the negative emotions that come with experiencing a setback? To motivate yourself, can you spell out exactly why you’re aiming for this goal?

Keep in mind that all winners fail before succeeding - Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team and Walt Disney was fired from a job because he lacked imagination.

Remember, the more hard-won the prize, the sweeter the victory.

By Grant J Everett, Panorama Magazine

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10 Signs That Failure Is Actually a Blessing in Disguise

• By Power of Positivity
• Published on February 2, 2021
• Last modified May 21, 2023

For every good day you have in life, there will be those that are bad. There will be a valley below that reminds you to stay humble for every mountain you climb to the top and achieve a great goal. Wouldn’t life be easy if every day were sunshine and there was never any rain? Did you ever consider that your rainy days and failures in life are blessings in disguise?

No one wants to believe the worst times could be the same experience that molds and makes you into a better person. Take, for instance, a battle with cancer.

How could anyone see a battle where they face death as something good? Well, when walking through these dark days, you learn to appreciate that you have another day to stay with your family. You become thankful for the smallest of things, like breath in your body.

Additionally, you learn that the trials of this life may be your blessings in disguise. After battling a life-threatening illness like cancer, you have a new appreciation for others fighting the battle. You find yourself with a different attitude, and you want to reach out to those who need help because you now have a testimony to share.

Are Your Struggles Actually A Blessing in Disguise?

Only you can decide if the made changes were better or worse, but you can find the blessing in disguise in all these circumstances. Here are a few tips that your failure or shortcomings have been a big help to you.

1. Your Attitude Changes

A change of attitude is one thing that many people notice, and this alteration is a blessing to you and those around you. Assume that you just got a divorce after being married for 15 years. You count this marriage as a failure because it didn’t work.

However, hitting rock bottom and losing almost everything you own changed your attitude. You no longer look down on those who have less or think poorly of those married and divorced several times. You learn how to put everything into a new perspective, and it alters your thinking.

2. You Grow Spiritually

Most people believe in a higher power in this life. Your darkest days and biggest failures can enhance your spirituality. Where would you be if you couldn’t call on someone or something bigger than you to help in a time of crisis?

A spiritual journey is a very private experience that differs for each person, but you can undoubtedly enhance your dependency and need for a higher power.

3. You Learn Humility

What if the fancy, luxury SUV that made you feel bigger than life was repossessed for lack of payment? You might have lost a job or fought a health crisis that removed the resources you used to pay for it. Going without a vehicle, borrowing one from a friend or relative, or downgrading can make you humble .

When driving the SUV, you felt more significant and better than many. Now, you find that you’re glad you have a way to and from work and the grocery store. You learn to be humble and not put your stock in material possessions, as they can be gone tomorrow.

4. You Find Strength You Never Knew You Had

When you face a significant failure in life, you learn to find the strength within yourself that you never knew you had. Take, for instance, Colonel Sanders . The famous entrepreneur of Kentucky Fried Chicken seems like the ultimate success story.

Did you know that Colonel Sanders’s recipe was rejected more than 1,000 times before he found a restaurant willing to work with him? How many times would you have gone back and tried again after your failed recipe was rejected? You learn that through your failures, you have great strength to get up and try again.

5. You Analyze Your Disappointments

When you’re trying to teach a baby to walk, they fall many times. You don’t correct them and discourage them from ever trying again, but you teach them what they’re doing wrong so that they can fix their failures. Eventually, they learned the proper way to balance themselves so they can walk.

When you fall and hit rock bottom, you have a lot of time to think. Use this to see what you did wrong so that you can correct it going forward. Maybe it’s a job loss because you weren’t performing at an acceptable level. What could you do differently to make things better in the next job?

You stumbled and fell, but you had time to find the blessing in disguise because you learned what you needed to do to be a better employee.

6. You Build Confidence

Henry Ford is known as one of the great pioneers in the automobile industry. The Ford Motor Company has been in business since 1903. While many have fallen by the way, they remain steadfast.

However, you may be shocked to learn that Ford’s first company failed, as did his second, and even his third automobile line. He was rattled by consumers’ complaints and nearly lost his business trying to figure out the problems with the vehicles.

The beauty in all of this was that he built a product that he was confident in because he dedicated so much time and effort. When he finally worked out all the kinks, Ford was sure that he would be successful, and he was. You learn to build confidence in yourself when you pick yourself up, analyze the situation, and do what needs to be done to save your sanity.

7. You Learn to Live in The Moment

So many people are in the hustle and bustle to get through the day that they don’t take time to appreciate each moment . Dinner around the table with your entire family is a privilege, and while it may seem chaotic, there will come a time when you miss the chaos.

If you lost your job, it’s a huge upset. However, take time to appreciate all those small things, like a family dinner. Don’t forget to take time to go to the park and see all the wildflowers in bloom. If you become so focused on material things and position, then you may miss the most significant things in life.

When life slows you down and throws you off course, it’s a blessing in disguise when you learn to live and appreciate each moment.

8. You’re Open to Bigger and Better Things

A job loss or divorce may seem like the end of your world. You may not be able to envision how you can go on from this devastating blow. However, could it possibly be that the Universe is moving you beyond your comfort zone to allow better things to come your way?

There may be a job making $10k more a year just waiting on you, but you would have never known about it if you stayed in the same position that’s made you miserable. So, you can say that the job loss was a blessing in disguise because it opened doors that would have never been for you.

9. Your Knowledge Increases

After Henry Ford failed at three companies, he quickly learned what not to do to succeed in the car industry. However, what if he never failed? He would have been just another example of an automobile manufacturing company that never made it with the economic tides.

He was a success story because his knowledge increased, and the value of his product did too.

10. You Learn You Can’t Control Everything

Why is it so challenging to learn that there are things beyond your control? If you tend to be a controlling person , something like a death of a loved one or a tragic accident soon reminds you that you’re not in control at all.

Perhaps, you will learn through your failures that there is always someone more significant and more powerful than you, and it will change your thinking.

Final Thoughts on Considering Failing a Blessing in Disguise

Sometimes adults think that once they reach that magical age of 18 that they know everything. Once you grow and go through some significant storms, you learn the true meaning of life. It’s also through these valleys that you realize the need for a higher power, an attitude adjustment, and to live in the moment.

Your failures are as much a part of living as your successes. Consequently, most would argue that they learn the most when they have been knocked to the bottom and given time to think. Do you remember times you failed in life and the blessing in disguise that situation was to you?

Stay positive .

Never forget that you’re one decision away from a totally different life. Life can change in the blink of an eye, and you’re along for the ride.

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“Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.” ~ Dalai Lama

Recently I received some “bad” news: After years of studying and a nerve-wracking exams procedure, I didn’t make it to the list of the lucky few selected for the upper level public administration job posts.

Having always tried to keep up with a job that made good use of my law degree, while at the same time pursuing my career as a writer, there were times when I questioned whether a law-related job was actually my true calling.

At the time, trying for the public administration exams had seemed like a “best of both worlds” scenario. So, having finally made the difficult decision to take a leap of faith and change my career path, the outcome was certainly not what I had hoped for.

Thus, I was faced with two options: either shrivel up in a corner by the heater, bawling my eyes out for one more shattered dream, or finally establish these new neural pathways I’ve been striving to build this past year of awakening and see the situation for what it really was.

The expected, rather self-pitying reaction was looking at me with tearful puppy eyes, begging me to indulge in it. But this time I chose the new way.

After the initial disappointm e nt , I took a deep breath and tried to focus on the truth of things—that I had done my best for this job opening, and the outcome I was about to fret over was out of my control. I recognized then that I could not change what had happened and I had to accept it. Not surrender, but accept.

As I’ve navigated my recent setback, I’ve pinpointed five ways failure can actually be beneficial.

1. You come to terms with what you can control and what you cannot.

In short, you get to have a first-class, one-on-one encounter with your ego. Because it is your ego, not your true self , that demands to control every single outcome of every single plan and effort you make.

According to Jungian psychology, the ego is made of our own beliefs and ideas about ourselves, whether true or false. That’s why the ego’s very existence depends upon keeping these beliefs intact; it cannot allow them to come crumbling down.

For example, you might think of yourself as the best at your job; so when you end up fretting for days over a mistake you might have made at work, this is your ego trying to control something that is out of its power.

In my recent exams’ case, I too could have barricaded myself behind my belief that I normally perform well at academics, and allowed my ego to keep nagging me about my not attaining my goal—but this time I chose perspective, not ego.

Preparing for a job interview or exam? You can minimize your potential errors by studying thoroughly and keeping yourself in good shape, both physically and mentally. This is what lies within your control : your own choices and attitude.

Beyond that, there’s only the realm of unforeseen, uncontrollable external variables. Things may not turn out as you hoped they would, and there’s nothing you can do to guarantee they do. You can save yourself a lot of heartache by acting but not expecting.

By being aware of what lies within your power and what does not and accepting that certain things are out of your control, you also end the self-pitying, self-victimizing cycles. You stop blaming others, the Universe, external variables, and yourself. Which brings us to my next point.

2. You boost your self-knowledge.

Take a relationship gone bad, for example. Mourning a bit is, of course, part of the equation, but after a while you’ll find it far more rewarding to focus on what you learned about yourself, thanks to this experience.

What are your real needs, your true nature even? What can you stand and what can you not? Once you get clear on the lesson, you’ll be able to make wiser decisions going forward.

When reflecting on my recent professional setback, the major thing I learned about myself was how easily un-grounded and un-mindful I could get whenever the going got tough.

Trying to discover why this was so, I recognized my second lesson: I had to work on my need to control the outcome of my efforts, in all areas of my life.

By choosing to focus on the bigger picture when coping with my “failure,” I was able to move on from it more quickly. I even found myself working on my next novel sooner than I would have, had I remained stuck there, crying over spilled milk that might have even proved not to be my cup of tea.

The greater the impact of a failure , the greater the opportunity to learn about yourself—if you get past the disappointment and, instead of wallowing, spend your time more productively, confronting your weaknesses.

By that I mean taking responsibility for any choices that contributed to your failure and identifying why you might get so worked up each time things don’t go according to your plans. Is it low self-esteem? That fragile ego again, that has learned to exist and breathe only depending on external milestones of success? If yes, then give it a nice goodbye pat on the back and reclaim your true self.

3. You have an opportunity to practice living in the moment.

When you fail at something, you’re reminded that there are no guarantees in the future, and that all that really matters is what you choose to do in the present.

In this way, failure reinforces the importance of mindfulness , the act of being completely present in whatever you’re experiencing here and now.

My career choice “gone bad” also taught me that it can make a plan’s failure sting even more if you put all your energy and hopes on it, at the expense of other plans or areas of your life.

Putting socializing with friends or family on hold, for example, for the sake of devoting yourself to a certain career goal actually deprives you of a very important part of your present. Life happens simultaneously, in all these areas, and we miss out when we focus too intensely on any one specific goal.

Mindfulness isn’t just about appreciating what is; it also enables us to better accept what will be. When we make the conscious choice to take life moment by moment, we become more grounded, and that helps us better adapt when things don’t go according to plan.

4. Failure reminds you to focus on the journey.

I might have sacrificed infinite hours studying Macroeconomics and other subjects entirely outside my area of expertise, in pursuit of the career change I ultimately didn’t manage to achieve; but this arduous procedure has left me with precious and detailed knowledge on subject matters I would have otherwise never acquired. My newly obtained knowledge on economics even helped me with the novel I’m currently writing!

Also, on this difficult journey I met many co-travelers who shared the same goal and the same struggles, and whom I now regard as my best of friends.

Do you really regret meeting all the people you met, learning the things you learned, and growing through your journey, even though it didn’t get you where you wanted? Nothing is a waste of time and energy if you gain through the experience.

5. You open yourself up to something even better down the road.

Some years ago, I had the unfortunate experience of growing close to someone suffering from covert narcissistic personality disorder. Before then, I knew nothing about this condition and only began learning about it after I’d been gaslighted by this person’s inconsistent behavior long enough.

The thing is, until that moment of revelation, I’d been beating myself over why I couldn’t make this relationship work, and had considered the whole thing my failure. After that, I realized how this “failure” had protected me from getting deeper involved in something that wasn’t healthy for me, and how it opened me up to a better relationship in the future.

From this experience, I learned that we shouldn’t spend so much time getting depressed in front of a closed door that we miss the window that has opened for us a few blocks down the road.

Have you ever spent nights crying over unfulfilled dreams, only to recognize later that, if they had been granted to you when you wanted them, you wouldn’t have set out on the amazing journeys you ended up taking because those dreams didn’t come true?

Yes, I know you have. And if you’re going through the aftermath of one more “failure” right now, know that amazing journeys are ahead for you now too.

The good old adage “everything happens for a reason” is good and old for a reason.

About Constantina Koutsoupia

Constantina Koutsoupia is a writer, holder of a Master of Laws in History and Theory of Law from the University of Athens. She has years-long experience as a lawyer, is an Honorary Reporter for KOCIS (KOREA.net) and a contributing author in various e-magazines, as well as for the Korean Embassy in Greece. For more on her publications visit  constantinamaud.com .

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FAILURE: BLESSING IN DISGUISE

Posted at October 05, 2021 by Tiffani Tirta Chanjaya

Many people often feared failure due to many reasons. Some of the reasons are because they think it will affect their future, it will be hard to face the disappointment of the people, and it will give them the essential ambiance of shame. But what not many people realize is that failure is a fundamental key and one of the processes to success.

You cannot achieve success without ever experiencing failure. It teaches you very valuable things about life, such as how to stay on your feet and not give up easily. It can make you appreciate little things in life and gives you growth, experience, along with knowledge.

To overcome this, you need to accept it and move on. Admitting defeat can also shape your mentality to become stronger and get used to failure. Thus, preparing yourself for your upcoming challenges. Not only that, but the sadness, desperation, and frustration will certainly change your perspective on life and give you self-development.

There are plenty of public figures who experience massive downfall before they become what they are today. The most known among all of them is Jack Ma.

“Failure is a blessing in disguise” is the perfect terminology for the relationship between Jack Ma and failure. The amount of failure this man has faced is nothing to be underestimated. Jack Ma failed his primary school exams not once, but twice during his childhood. During his Middle School exams, he failed three times. Even before enrolling at Hangzhou Normal University, Jack Ma failed the admission examinations three times. Jack Ma failed to find work after completing his bachelor's degree in a variety of places and was unable to find work despite applying 30 times.

In one of his interviews he stated that when he applied in KFC, there were 24 people who went for the job and 23 people were accepted so he was the only one who did not get accepted. When asked about his rejections, in one of his interviews, he said that he already got used to turning rejection into an opportunity, to learn and grow by overcoming the anguish of rejection itself. Jack Ma never gave up and he was never afraid to learn new things. He has practiced failures so many times that he is no longer concerned with them. Staying optimistic is also his way to overcome his failure.

We can learn from Jack Ma's struggles that failure is nothing to be ashamed of. We are all humans, none of us are perfect. Everyone fails at some point and that’s alright. Failure makes us stronger and more independent than before. Sooner or later, we will achieve the success we always dreamed of as long as we don’t stop and keep moving forward because in every struggle and journey, there’s a reward waiting for us.

“If you don’t give up, you still have a chance.” – Jack Ma.

AN, S. (2020, September 23). Jack Ma – The Inspirational Story of Alibaba Founder . Retrieved from www.shoutmeloud.com: https://www.shoutmeloud.com/jack-ma-alibaba-founder.html

Arruda, W. (2015, May 14). Why Failure Is Essential To Success . Retrieved from www.forbes.com: https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2015/05/14/why-failure-is-essential-to-success/?sh=7b659f1b7923

Mimaroglu, A. (2016, September 9). 

How Jack Ma Overcame His 7 Biggest Failures

. Retrieved from Entrepreneur Asia Pasific: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/275969

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‘A Blessing In Disguise’, Meaning & Context

Meaning of “a blessing in disguise”.

“A blessing in disguise” is an idiom that refers to the idea that something that appears to be a misfortune or a piece of bad luck can have unexpected benefits. It is frequently used in everyday speech and has wide usage in the titles of creative works – novels, songs, poems and more.

Origin of “a blessing in disguise”

The idiom first appeared in a 1746 hymn by James Hervey “Since all the downward tracts of time”.

In the hymn, Hervey meditates on the wisdom of accepting whatever God, in his infinite wisdom, chooses to bestow on us, even things that appear at first to be negative, because they are “blessings in disguise”.

The lyrics of this short but sweet hymn are:

Since all the downward tracts of time God’s watchful eye surveys, O who so wise to choose our lot Or to appoint our ways? Good when He gives, supremely good, Nor less when He denies; Ev’n crosses from His sovereign hand, Are blessings in disguise . Why should we doubt a Father’s love, So constant and so kind? To His unerring, gracious will Be every wish resigned.

Ways “a blessing in disguise” has been used

The phrase has been used in a variety of mediums. In 1865, a cartoon titled “Blessings in Disguise” from the American Civil War era showed President Jefferson Davis surrounded by cities in which the Confederates had been defeated, asking whether the losses were a “blessing in disguise” that prevented the Confederate Army from being stretched too thinly.

The British Medical Journal commented on a number of cases where an assault or injury inadvertently led to the curing of a medical condition, describing them as surgical blessings in disguise.

The phrase has been used as the title of multiple books and other cultural items, such as the novel by Danielle Steel (2019), songs by Michael McDonald, Michael Martin Murphy and several others, It is also the name of a charity.

A blessing in disguise

The blessing in disguise of a Chinese folk tale

There is a traditional Chinese folk tale that tells of how an injury saved a man’s life by preventing him from being killed in battle:

There was a kind old man who lived on the plains outside the Great Wall of China. The gentle man had two passions in his life: collecting rare breeds of horses, and his son, whom he loved more than anything else.

The old man and his son would travel great distances to trade horses, meet new people, and enjoy the good fortune that life had bestowed upon them.

One morning, a servant left the stable door open and one of the old man’s favourite stallions escaped. When the neighbours heard the news of the stallion’s escape, they came to comfort him. They told him they were sorry he had had such bad luck.

The old man wasn’t upset. He explained that losing the horse wasn’t necessarily bad luck. There was no way to predict that the horse would escape, it just happened, and now there was nothing that anyone could do about it.

A week later, the stallion came back, and he brought with him a mare, a rare and valuable white mare. When the neighbours heard of the old man’s good luck, they quickly came to congratulate him. But again, the old man was not excited. As he had explained before, it was not necessarily good luck that had brought him this new and beautiful white horse. It just happened, and there was no reason to get excited over it.

Some time later, while his son was riding the white horse, she slipped and fell. She landed on the son and broke his leg. The neighbours came to the old man’s house again, to give their sympathy for the bad luck that had befallen his son. One of the neighbours suggested that the old man sell the mare before any more bad luck could happen, and others said that he should take his revenge and kill the mare. However, the old man did neither. He explained to the neighbours that they should not feel sorrow for his son, nor anger towards the mare. It was purely an accident that could not be predicted, and there was nothing he or they could do to change it.

A few years later an enemy invaded the country, and all the young men among the old man’s neighbours were drafted to defend the country against the attack. Because the old man’s son was lame, he did not have to join in the fighting. The war was very bad, and most of the neighbours were killed, but his son was spared because he had been hurt by the white horse two years earlier.

And so, the accident with the mare was a blessing in disguise.

Phrases related to “a blessing in disguise”

Related phrases are:

• “Count your blessings”, meaning to be grateful for the good things that have happened to you and not spending time regretting the bad.
• “A mixed blessing”, meaning something that has some good and some bad things about it.
• “A bright spot.”
• “A silver lining,” from the idiom “every dark cloud has a silver lining.”
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If the horse getting lost, found, bring a mare back, slipping and breaking the boys leg were ” purely an accident that could not be predicted, and there was nothing he or they could do to change it.”, then why take the boys surviving the war as blessing and not just “mare” fate?

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Blessings in Disguise: 7 Lessons on How to Fail Well

• Self-development

When kids learn to walk, they fall down constantly. Never, for a split second, does a child think walking might not be worth trying harder next time. Then, at some point later in life, we start magnifying the tiniest failures to be the end of the world. When we go to school, we learn that failure in the form of bad grades is invariably frowned upon, which only promotes risk-averse behavior and hinders creativity. Add overprotective parents, social media, self-limiting beliefs, and the unnecessary burden of comparison . How many dreams perished this way? Too many.

As we grow up, some of us manage to unlearn this early conditioning and redefine failure, turning it into a necessary step towards success . As bitter as defeat might feel in the moment, it is always a lesson in disguise. But don’t take just our word for it – many incredibly successful people we all know and admire praise the benefits of failing because they lived through it time and again in order to get where they are now.

We’ve chosen seven success stories to prove that defeat can lead to victory. Do any of the names below ring a bell?

Marie Forleo

“Stay on your game and keep going for your dreams because the world needs that special gift that only you have”. This is how Marie Forleo, writer and entrepreneur, finishes every episode of her show Marie TV . She’s the founder of B-School , an online business training program, and the author of the New York Times bestseller Everything Is Figureoutable . As an advocate for multi-passionate entrepreneurship, she teaches how to build a business and life you love without squeezing your soul into a labelled box.

Marie has helped thousands of people reclaim their courage after setbacks because she never allowed fear to calcify in her bones. On vacation in Italy she had a scooter accident and was faced with a choice: follow fear back into the comfort zone, or learn and try riding again. “The decisions you make when you’re down determine how high you’ll eventually fly”, says Marie. Once, when asked about her failures during an interview, her mind went blank. Of course she stumbled in her various endeavors more times than she could count, yet treating missteps and flops as such an integral part of the game made her redefine them as success. If failure is guaranteed, you can never BE a failure , but you can befriend it.

“Failure is a given if you're in the game. But here's what's important to remember — a fall isn't final unless you stay on the ground.” – Marie Forleo

• Failure is inevitable. Find something you’ll love more than you fear failure.

Yara Shahidi

Before we grow into adulthood, we search for our identities , definitions for our feelings and dreams, we navigate the waters of early life with little to no experience, and we learn what it means to fail. Yara Shahidi , actress and activist, went to Harvard with a letter of recommendation from Michelle Obama. Her resume consists of movies starring Angelina Jolie and Eddie Murphy. She founded WeVoteNext , a platform encouraging young people to vote. Net-a-Porter ranked her one of the best dressed women and in 2019 she appeared on the cover of the September issue of British Vogue curated by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.

What is Yara’s secret to so much success at age 21? Embracing failure as part of the natural process of growing. She remembers how, being a straight A student, her first C in English almost defined her as a person. Instead, she reforged failure into motivation for improvement, bid farewell to perfectionism , and focused on progress. It doesn’t take a fortune teller to predict more success to come in Yara’s future.

“I allowed myself to realize that one, there’s no need to be perfect and two, failure is the essence of improvement and the essence of growth. Sometimes our growth isn’t linear or as clean as we want it to be, but these moments that we may consider failure are extremely important.” – Yara Shahidi

• You define failure but failure never defines you. Let it lead you through growth to success.

The world knows him as a writer and marketing guru who mentions failure in most of his seminars, interviews, and books (24 of those and counting, including 20 worldwide bestsellers in 36 languages). Here’s Seth’s bit of success: his book Free Prize Inside was a Forbes Business Book of the Year in 2004, Purple Cow sold over 150,000 copies in the first two years, and Linchpin is one of "20 of the best books by the most influential thinkers in business" according to Business Week . Seth has been inducted into the American Marketing Association's Marketing Hall of Fame, his blog was among 25 best blogs of 2009 according to Time magazine, and his podcast Akimbo was o ne of the top 1% of all podcasts of 2018.

Yet, Seth was also close to bankruptcy for 8 years and received 800 rejection letters in a row in the first year of his career in publishing. Still, he founded businesses, sold businesses, and never took failure personally . Seth Godin’s risk-taking puts a dent in the universe. It takes a true artist, leader, and innovator to constantly challenge the status quo and invent new paths. Paraphrasing Seth himself, he wins because he is willing to be the person who fails the most.

“If failure is not an option, then neither is success.” – Seth Godin

• To change the world – create and fail. Invent and fail again. Innovate and keep failing.

Barbara Corcoran

The queen of real estate, founder of The Corcoran Group , fierce businesswoman who sued Donald Trump to collect due commission – Barbara Corcoran believes failure and success are linked. Unable to read until she was in seventh grade, she was labelled “stupid”. Having worked twenty jobs before the age of 23, she met her first life and business partner while waitressing in a diner. He offered her $1000 to start a real estate business. The powerful rich men in the industry’s high places had little respect for her until she became their number one rival. When Barbara’s partner left her, convinced she was never going to succeed without him, she turned $1000 into $66 million (the value of her empire when she sold it).

Barbara’s fear of public speaking muted her in front of 300 investors, so she took a teaching opportunity at NYU to turn that failure around and met her top sales employee as a result. She lost $77 000 on video tapes of apartments which led her to discovering the Internet ahead of her competitors. When she was first offered and then denied a seat at the table on ABC’s Shark Tank , she rejected the rejection and claimed her spot. Barbara is great at failure and this is why she succeeded.

“All of my singular, phenomenal successes that helped me build my business happened on the heels of failure.” – Barbara Corcoran

• Your strengths can turn failure into an opportunity. Pivot, change your plan, but never the goal.

Michael Jordan

Considered the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan is no stranger to failure. In fact, he’s a fierce advocate for it. Before he could score an average of 30.1 points and become the NBA's most valuable player in the 80s and 90s, he stumbled many times. Beginning in high school when he did not make the varsity team because he was too short at the time, he learned that talent simply isn’t enough, you need to add hard work and dedication to the equation of success.

Michael’s intrinsic motivation pushed him to work himself to the limits and relentlessly double the effort every time a setback occurred. His drive helped him break numerous records and become the most decorated player in the history of the NBA. And then the most famous basketball player failed again when he made an attempt to become a professional baseball player – to no avail. But if you never try, you’ll never know.

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” – Michael Jordan

• Failure is something to strive for. Fail often to learn how to succeed.

Sophia Amoruso

Entrepreneurs like Sophia Amoruso eat failure for breakfast. When she got a hernia and had to accept a security job in an art school to earn her health insurance, Sophia realized she’d never be happy working for somebody else. She then started an eBay store called Nasty Gal selling vintage clothes. Knowing very little about business, she managed to scale her project into $100 million in revenue. When her eBay account got suspended, Sophia opened another online store and over the years switched her office from an ’87 Volvo to a fifty-thousand-square-foot space in Los Angeles. Her book #Girlboss became The New York Times Bestseller, she appeared on the cover of Forbes magazine and her journey was adapted by Netflix (not without another failure of getting cancelled after one season).

When Nasty Gal filed for bankruptcy in 2016 Sophia founded another Girlboss business, a community for ambitious women (and then she sold it). Today you can find her teaching and mentoring the next generation of rebel entrepreneurs .

“There are secret opportunities hidden inside every failure.” ― Sophia Amoruso

• Be unapologetically you and swim against the current. Use failure to reinvent yourself.

Steven Pressfield

He helped us understand and conquer the power of resistance . As a writer he knows it very well. However, before Steven Pressfield could reach a wider audience with The War Of Art , or with any of his other outstanding fiction and non-fiction books, he had to persevere through years of failure. In his lifetime, he worked as a schoolteacher, driver, bartender, oilfield roustabout, attendant in a mental hospital, and fruit-picker. Steven Pressfield worked 21 different jobs in 11 states (let that really sink in) before he could earn a living from what he loved doing most – writing. He was also homeless for a period of time and lived in the back of his car.

It took him 17 years before he earned his first penny from writing, 27 years to get his first novel published and it wasn’t until he was in his early 50s that he could finally make a living as a writer.

“When a pro hits adversity, they simply rally in the face of it and use it in their own way.” – Steven Pressfield

• Adversity might test your resilience to the limits. If you want to succeed, fail and persevere.

You Only Fail When You Stop Trying

Steve Jobs began his tech career by hacking landlines to make free long-distance calls. Arianna Huffington’s writing was rejected by 36 publishers. Walt Disney got fired from a newspaper for his “lack of creativity” and Steven Spielberg didn’t get accepted to film school twice. Who would all of these remarkable people be today if they weren’t willing to fail?

Not every failure leads to success, yet success is hardly possible without failure. The more we fail, the more likely we are to succeed. We have the power to redesign our circumstances and live life on our terms only if we’re willing to lose a few battles to win the war. When failure stands in the way, it becomes the way.

Let’s recap 7 lessons on how to fail well:

“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.” – J. K. Rowling

a blessing in disguise

• the misfortune which turns out to have advantages
• good outcome from an evil situation
• an unfortunate event that later leads to an advantageous situation
• apparent trouble that eventually results in a positive outcome
• something terrible at first, but later results in something good
• a misfortune that unexpectedly turns into good fortune

Example Sentences

• Losing that job turned out to be a blessing in disguise for him as it forced him to plunge into business.
• The lockdown in 2020 proved to be a blessing in disguise . It gave me lots of time to spend with my family.
• When Pete fractured his knee, it was a blessing in disguise , for he got some much-needed rest and a break from his hectic work life and refocused on some essential things in his life.
• Failing in his exams was  a blessing in disguise , for he realized that he was not enjoying his course and decided to try out something else.
• Missing the train was  a blessing in disguise , for we would have been on it when it met with an accident, killing many of its passengers.
• When her boyfriend dumped her, it was  a blessing in disguise for Susan, for otherwise, she would never have met the man who is now her husband.
• Alice’s car breaking down was  a blessing in disguise for her; if it hadn’t, she could have been in the middle of that vast multi-car pileup that happened on her way to work.

The idiom was originally found in James Hervey’s hymn “Since All the Downward Tracts of Time” in 1746, first printed in “Reflections on a Flower-garden. In a Letter to a Lady,” a volume in his best-known work,  Meditations, and Contemplations  (1746–1747), but written earlier.

“Since all the downward tracts of time God’s watchful eye surveys, O who so wise to choose our lot Or to appoint our ways? Good when He gives, supremely good, Nor less when He denies; Ev’n crosses from His sovereign hand Are blessings in disguise. Why should we doubt a Father’s love, So constant and so kind? To His unerring, gracious will Be every wish resigned.”

The University of Leeds Special Collections holds the draft manuscript of “Reflections on a Flower-garden,” and other James Hervey works.

Share your opinions 5 Opinions

Looking at this sentences were a blessing in disguise or else I couldn’t pass my Language test!

‒ Rose September 28, 2020

Despite all the trying times that I faced it turned out finaly to be blessing in disguise because I came throught even more stronger

‒ Jamel April 27, 2020

The COVID19 pandemic effects was a blessing in disguise as it helped some people stay home and refocus on some significant things of interests in their lives.

‒ Oum Younes April 14, 2020

Thanks so much for explanation and breakdown! It helped me tremendously in the essay I’m writing now on this topic.

– Jade

‒ Anonymous December 8, 2019

Can you please make a sentence on this phrase using mobile?

‒ Neha March 2, 2018

What's on your mind?

Evil , Fortune , Good , Trouble

Similar Idioms

• a man of action
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. » Idioms » A Blessing in Disguise

A Blessing in Disguise: Meaning, Examples and Sentences

Elaboration and examples:.

The idiom “A Blessing in Disguise” refers to a situation that seems unfortunate or undesirable at first, but eventually leads to a positive outcome. It suggests that sometimes things that appear to be negative or harmful may actually turn out to be beneficial in the long run. In other words, what initially appears to be a setback or misfortune may ultimately bring about positive changes or opportunities that one may not have anticipated.

For example, imagine a person who loses their job. At first, they may feel devastated and worried about their future. However, this situation may ultimately lead to new opportunities that they may not have explored otherwise, such as starting their own business or pursuing a different career path. In this case, losing their job was a blessing in disguise, as it opened up new doors for them that they might not have considered otherwise.

Similarly, a person may fall ill and be forced to take time off from work, which may seem like a negative situation. However, during their recovery, they may discover new hobbies or passions that they may not have had time for before. They may also develop a greater appreciation for their health and well-being. In this case, the illness may have been a blessing in disguise, as it provided the person with an opportunity to reflect, rest and reevaluate their priorities.

Overall, the idiom “A Blessing in Disguise” suggests that one should try to look for the positive aspects in seemingly negative situations. It reminds us that even in difficult times, there may be unexpected benefits or opportunities that can arise, and that a setback or challenge may ultimately lead to personal growth or success.

Sentences on “A Blessing in Disguise”

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What Does a Blessing in Disguise Mean?

Home » Phrase and Idiom Dictionary » What Does a Blessing in Disguise Mean?

Blessing in Disguise Meaning

Definition: Something that seemed bad but turns out to be good.

A blessing in disguise seems unfortunate at first. Often, it refers to a situation that someone does not want to be in or results that he or she did not want.

However, after careful reflection, what at first seemed to be a stroke of misfortune turns out to be beneficial. Oftentimes, people learn through their struggles and come out of difficult situations having grown as a result of those challenges.

Origin of Blessing in Disguise

In 1746, the book Reflections on a Flower-Garden by James Hervey was the first book to have the phrase written down, but no one is sure if the author invented the phrase or was using a phrase already popular at the time.

Examples of Blessing in Disguise

There are many uses of this common idiom.

A woman might say,

• When Tom broke up with me, I was upset for months. But, really, the breakup turned out to be a blessing in disguise because he was in a lot of debt.

Another example could be when a goal is not fulfilled. If someone wants a promotion at work and is passed over, he or she could feel upset. However, not getting the promotion would be a blessing in disguise if a new position better suited to that person opened up later.

Many people may even refer to life-changing events as blessings in disguise. Someone who had a child out of wedlock may have felt stressed at first about the prospect of being a single parent, but he or she may later refer to the child as a blessing in disguise because of the joy the child brings.

More Examples

• AT&T-Time Warner merger could be blessing in disguise for consumers – Chicago Tribune
• Panahian, whose brother is an influential conservative cleric, said the lifting of sanctions could be “a blessing in disguise” because it revealed U.S. duplicity. – LA Times

When something is a blessing in disguise   it seems bad at first, but it eventually turns out to be a good thing.

2 Minute Speech On Failure In English

Good morning everyone present here, today I am going to give a speech on failure. Failure is a choice to accept the unavoidable. People who avoid setbacks grow to fear them and give up on learning throughout their lives. Giving yourself the chance to fail is a form of self-education. Failure frequently doesn’t get the respect it deserves. So many people have utilized the phrase to expand their thoughts after effectively grasping its meaning.

The word “failure” has been distorted to mean the opposite of success. Merriam Webster’s Dictionary describes failure as “a lack of success” or “omission of occurrence or performance”. Someone once said, “You learn more through failure than from achievement.” Do not let this discourage you since failure develops character.

Failure should be celebrated, not suppressed. According to a remark from Thomas Edison, “I haven’t failed 1,000 times. I’ve found a thousand effective techniques to avoid producing a light bulb”. This quotation not only supports the preceding one by stating that failure is not in any way inferior to success, but it also goes on to state that the two may overlap.

Failure should not be seen as a reason to give up but rather as an opportunity for learning. This is seen throughout the career of an artist who left school at 16 and was fired from a newspaper company for “lack of imagination” and “had no creative ideas.” The young man then went on to build one of the most renowned animations and production studios in the entire world. Walt Disney was his name. Thank you.

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Phrase Genesis

“A Blessing in Disguise” – Phrase Origin

A word like “disguise” can have many different meanings. It can refer to the clothing someone is wearing, a false identity, or an animal’s skin. But does knowing its origin change the meaning?

It’s impossible to determine when the phrase “a blessing in disguise” was first used. However, its first recorded use was in 1746 in the hymn “Since All the Downward Tracts of Time” by English writer and clergyman James Hervey (1718–1784).

The phrase “a blessing in disguise” has a literal meaning—something bad happens, but with time we see the benefits from it and realize it was actually a good thing. The rest of this article will take a look at why this saying exists and what it means in more depth.

“A Blessing in Disguise”: The Origin, Definition, and Use

The English language is filled with expressions that seem to make little sense. Even native speakers of English can be puzzled by idiomatic phrases from other cultures, and a great number of them have fallen out of use. 

In fact, many strange phrases have arisen because of a lack of understanding of grammar, spelling, history, and origin.

“A Blessing in Disguise” Origin

Like most popular phrases, this one has no verified origin. However, it was first recorded in 1746 in the hymn “Since All the Downward Tracts of Time” written by English writer and clergyman James Hervey (1718–1784):

Since all the varying scenes of time

God’s watchful eye surveys,

O who so wise to choose our lot,

Or to appoint our ways?

Good, when he gives, supremely good,

Nor less when he denies;

E’en crosses, from his sovereign hand,

Are blessings in disguise .

Why should we doubt a Father’s love,

So constant and so kind?

To his unerring, gracious will

Be every wish resigned.

The history of idioms is difficult to define because they’re often passed down orally from generation to generation. This makes it hard to track their origins.

Is “A Blessing in Disguise” an Idiom?

An idiom is a figure of speech that is typically used in informal conversation, and it doesn’t have a direct meaning. “A blessing in disguise” is an idiom.

For example, if someone says “it’s a blessing in disguise,” they mean that something that seems bad at first can actually be helpful. Idioms are often used to add color or emotion to a conversation and can be used to add humor.

Idioms are one of the most fascinating aspects of language. They’re expressions that cannot be literal translations of the words that make them up. For example, the idiom “a blessing in disguise” cannot be translated directly into any other language and still make sense. 

This is because it’s a phrase that has been passed down orally over generations and has taken on a meaning that’s different from the literal meaning of the words. 

Therefore, the history of idioms is difficult to know, as they’re often passed down through families and communities without being written down.

This means that idioms are a great way to learn about the history and culture of a language. They can tell us about the way people used to live, and the things that were important to them.

Idioms can also be a great way to connect with people from other cultures. When you learn an idiom from another culture, you’re not only learning the meaning of the phrase but also gaining insight into the culture itself.

“A Blessing in Disguise” Definition

There are several meanings for the phrase “ a blessing in disguise ” that result in many different interpretations. The expression can refer to: 

• Something negative that has beneficial consequences . For example, an illness can be a blessing in disguise for someone who was planning to travel to a dangerous location but had to cancel the trip after being diagnosed with a disease.
• Something positive that appears to be negative at first glance . For example, a messy divorce that results in a happier future for both former partners could be referred to as a blessing in disguise. Alternatively, you could state that running late was a blessing in disguise because it allowed you to miss a nasty accident on the highway.

This phrase is often used when people are trying to look on the bright side of a difficult situation.

“A Blessing in Disguise” Usage

There are many reasons why we use phrases in our everyday lives. For one, they can help us communicate more effectively. A lot can be conveyed in just a few words, and this can be very helpful when we’re trying to make a point.

Phrases can also make our writing more interesting and colorful. They can add flavor to otherwise bland writing, add a touch of humor or personality to our writing, and this can keep readers engaged. 

“A Blessing in Disguise,” for example, has been one of the most commonly quoted phrases in English for at least the last 200 years, and it has many variations, including:

• “A curse disguised” 
• “A curse in disguise” 
• “A curse that is a blessing” 

In fact, many strange phrases have arisen because of a lack of understanding of grammar or spelling. There are several meanings for the phrase “a blessing in disguise” that result in many different interpretations. Whichever meaning you prefer will help you understand any given situation better.

“A Blessing in Disguise” in Stories

A common explanation for the modern usage of the phrase “blessing in disguise” comes from fairy tales and mythology. In the fairy tale “The Frog Prince,” (1812) by the Brothers Grimm, a frog is transformed into a prince after a princess kisses him. 

While the story is often seen as a romantic tale, it can also be interpreted as a story about the power of transformation. In many ways, the frog prince is a metaphor for how we all have the potential to change and grow. 

We may not be perfect, but we all can become something better. Sometimes, what seems like a curse can turn out to be a blessing in disguise. 

Additionally, in the myth of King Midas , a greedy king is given the gift of turning everything he touches into gold. King Midas is a figure from Greek mythology who’s best known for his “golden touch.” 

The story goes that Midas was granted one wish by the god Dionysus. Midas, not knowing any better, wished that everything he touched would turn to gold. At first, Midas was ecstatic about his new power. He delighted in turning objects to gold, including his food and drink. 

But soon enough, Midas realized that his power was more of a curse than a blessing. He was unable to touch or even look at his daughter, as she would turn to gold the instant he laid a hand on her. Midas was miserable, and he begged Dionysus to take away his power. 

Dionysus obliged, and Midas was finally able to return to his normal life. The story of King Midas is often used to teach the moral, “be careful what you wish for.” It’s a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed, and it reminds us that sometimes what we think we want is not really what’s best for us.

These stories may have inspired the phrases “curse disguised” or “curse that is a blessing” that have, through time, changed into the modern usage of “a blessing in disguise”

The phrase “a blessing in disguise” is often used to describe something that initially seemed bad but ended up being good. The phrase can also be used more literally to describe something actually good but disguised as bad. 

Although the phrase’s origin is unknown, it was first recorded in a hymn in the mid-1700s. Since then, it has been used by many famous writers over the years, including Mark Twain, Oscar Wilde, and James Joyce.

Sources 

• Hymnary: Since All the Downward Tracts of Time  
• Star: Translating Idioms from Different Languages  
• Writing Explained: What Does a Blessing in Disguise Mean?  
• English-grammar-lessons.com: A Blessing in Disguise- Meaning, Origin, and Usage
• Lit2Go: Grimms Fairy Tales – The Frog Prince 
• Greeka: Myth of King Midas and His Golden Touch