1.5 KiB
inspired by this user's quite transparent one! :)
The nature of resumes means that most people only choose to highlight their successes and wins, but rarely the work, effort, and failures on the way. I think this creates an unhealthy culture of idolizing perfection and sets unrealistic standards for what ‘real success’ should look like.
I came across the concept of a failure resume1 a while ago. It’s a list of things that didn’t exactly go according to plan, and the lessons learned. A failure resume isn’t just a showcase of failure in and of itself, but also a document of all the spectacular ways you’ve worked hard towards your own goals and accomplishments. In many ways, it validates your struggle and your effort.
I think by talking more publicly about the blemishes and the not-so-greats, we can start to create a healthier culture that focuses not on the individual failures themselves but rather the learnings from each of them.
This document has served as a powerful reminder to myself of how much I’ve struggled to get to where I am and why I deserve to be here. And more importantly, it serves as a place to reflect and learn from the past and be less scared of failure in the future.
Keeping a failure resume has let me be so much more ambitious in trying new things and applying for things I would otherwise think I’m unqualified to apply for.