INTRODUCTION —
Let’s Be Honest About Failure (And How It Shapes a Growth Mindset)
What I Used to Believe
No one likes to fail. I know I don’t. It’s not just about a missed opportunity or a plan that didn’t work out. It’s about how we feel about ourselves afterward, the sinking feeling of not being enough, of giving your all and still watching things fall apart.
I used to believe failure meant I wasn’t good enough. That if something didn’t work out, it meant I wasn’t ready, or that maybe I was on the wrong path. I thought I had to get everything right the first time to prove I belonged. And in all honesty, that mindset only kept me small.
The Shift That Changed Everything
The truth is, failure isn’t the opposite of success, it’s part of it. Eventually, I realized that failure doesn’t mean I’m off track. It means I’m trying, experimenting, stretching, learning. It’s not the end of the story; it’s where the real story begins.
Everything changed when I stopped fearing failure and started learning from it. I began treating failure as a form of feedback, a guidepost toward what matters. That shift, from shame to curiosity, completely transformed my relationship with creativity and resilience.
I stopped spiraling into “What did I do wrong?” and started asking better questions:
→ What is this teaching me?
→ What was I really craving when I went after that thing?
→ What am I being invited to try next?
By giving myself permission to pivot, to experiment, and to play again, I opened the door to a real growth mindset. That’s where resilience starts to build.
REAL STORY —
The Layoff That Became a Launchpad (My Story)
Looking back, I think the most powerful creative pivots come when things fall apart, when the plan you were holding onto dissolves, and all you’re left with is a blank page. That’s exactly what happened to me.
A few years ago, I made a big move. I left everything familiar behind and moved to Florianópolis (a small island in the south of Brazil), on the other side of the country. I didn’t know anyone there. I went alone. Far from my family, far from my routines, far from what I knew.
But I wasn’t running away. I made the move because I was following something deeper: a pull toward space, nature, presence. I needed more life, more balance, more clarity to grow. In many ways, it felt like a necessary step in my own growth mindset journey.
Florianópolis felt like a reset. The ocean, the rhythm, the surf, it felt like a possibility. Like a world I didn’t know I needed. It was peaceful, inspiring, and exactly what I had been craving.
And then… two months in, I lost my job. Just like that. My remote role disappeared.
It was a shock. I had finally made a leap, and the net didn’t catch me.
That moment cracked something open.
Because with nothing left to hold onto, I had to ask: What do I want to build now?
I didn’t have answers, only questions. I didn’t know what the next day would look like. I didn’t have backup. I didn’t know anyone in town. But I had time. And I had the will to try.
So I started from scratch. I made mistakes. I cried. I reached out for help. I felt lost. I experimented. And little by little, I began building what would eventually become my studio.
And now, years later, I close big projects. I collaborate with clients and creatives from around the world. I built relationships with people I’ve never even met in person. I formed a team. I launched a workshop that helps other creatives land dream clients and own their value (the same process I’ve walked through myself, and still walk).
That season of forced reinvention (the one that looked like failure on the surface) became the spark of everything I have today. It taught me the real benefits of failing: humility, flexibility, and the kind of resilience you don’t read about in books. You live it.
That moment that was supposed to be a deadline ended up being the beginning of everything.
What If You’re Closer Than You Think?
Why Failure Doesn’t Mean You’re Lost
Every time I’ve failed (like, really failed) it felt like the end. But most of those moments turned out to be plot twists, not dead ends. When you’re in it, failure feels final.
But with time, you start to see what it gave you: clarity, courage, direction. A version of yourself you probably wouldn’t have met otherwise.
What Redirection Can Teach You
So if you’re sitting in that space right now, unsure if you took a wrong turn, I hope you remember: maybe you’re not lost. Maybe you’re getting closer. Closer to the kind of work that feels like yours. Closer to the kind of life that actually fits. Not because you got it all right, but because you didn’t stop learning and being open to change.
Getting Started —
What Growth Actually Feels Like
Signs of Growth That No One Sees
Growth isn’t always a glow-up. It’s not just that moment where everything makes sense after the fact. It’s also the weird middle. The confusion, the tiredness, the part where things are shifting and you’re not sure what comes next.
It’s when your life feels a little messy, when you’re letting go of things that used to make sense and trying to trust that something better is taking shape. That’s growth too, even if it feels uncomfortable (and it often does). And it counts, even if no one else can see it yet.
This is what building a growth mindset actually looks like, staying with the discomfort long enough to let something new emerge.
Moving Without Certainty
Some days growth looks like doing the next move (even if you’re not totally sure it’s right).
It’s that uncomfortable, limbo-feeling where you’re between what was and what could be. You don’t have a map, but you have to move anyway.
And that matters. Because one day, when things click into place, you’ll look back and realize: this part (the messy, unsure, transitional part) got you there. Even if right now it just feels like fog. It’s still part of the process. You’re figuring it out and that already means you’re growing.
What Success Means to Me Now
Letting Go of the Old Definition
For a long time, I thought success was about momentum. Visibility. The appearance of having it all figured out. I chased that version of success because it was what I saw working for other people.
I thought if I could just do enough, say the right things, hit the right milestones, then I’d feel it too.
But all it did was make me feel disconnected from myself and from my work. Like I was performing more than creating. Like I was always “on” but never really in it. That kind of success was loud, but it didn’t feel real.
What I Measure Today
These days, success feels quieter (but meaningful).
It’s not about how things look, but how they feel from the inside. It’s when I finish something and know I gave it my best, not for validation, but because it mattered to me. It’s about presence, alignment, and joy. It’s how often I feel proud without needing proof. It’s how free I feel to say no.
How willing I am to change my mind. How honestly I can show up. Success now looks like making something I believe in, and still wanting to do it again tomorrow. These days, I measure it differently.
Success is alignment. It’s flowing. It’s honesty. It’s the feeling I get when I’m proud of the work, not because it’s perfect or impressive, but because it feels true. No number or title alone has ever given me that.
Conclusion —
Maybe the Leap Is the Lesson
Permission to Try
If you’ve been avoiding failure, maybe you’ve also been avoiding the thing that could actually change everything. I know how tempting it is to wait until things feel safer or more certain. But most of the real shifts in my life started from messy beginnings, not clarity. You don’t need a big strategy or perfect timing.
You just need a willingness to trust your inner compass. To let go of control, stop overthinking, and allow things to flow. Life will keep teaching you through every moment, and it’s okay to adjust as you go. That kind of flexibility of learning while moving is at the heart of a true growth mindset.
It’s not about having it all figured out. It’s about having the courage to try, even before it makes sense.
Things That Helped Me Through It
Books, People, Practices That Supported My Growth Mindset
Here are a few things that helped me stay grounded, inspired, and moving (especially in those uncertain), in‑between moments of my journey:
Mindfulness & Body Practices
- Meditation: I use Headspace when I need to slow down and reconnect with my center.
- Yoga at home: No cost, and it goes a long way. I love doing yin yoga, and Boho Beautiful on YouTube is my go-to channel.
- Breathwork for anxiety: When I feel overwhelmed or my thinking gets cloudy, this breathwork video always helps bring me back to the present.
Mindset Shifts
- Gratitude exercises: Taking time to mentally list everything I once dreamed of having that’s now part of my reality.
- Visualization: Thinking of my life as a movie (especially when I feel stuck) helps me see the bigger picture and stay open to plot twists.
Expanders & Thought Leaders
Audiobooks That Shifted My Perspective
- The Millionaire Fastlane by MJ DeMarco: for when you need a nudge to think bigger and act bolder. (Listen on Audible)
- Reinventing Your Life by Jeffrey E. Young: a deeper dive into shifting limiting patterns and building something new from the inside out. (Listen on Audible)
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