When Failure Shows Up
The lesson I wish I learned earlier—and why it matters now more than ever.
Another banger just came in from the Fuel the Future project we’ve been working on…
And this one hits extra close to home.
It comes from one of my best friends on the planet—a guy who’s more like a brother than anything.
Great athlete.
Even greater human.
Our families have shared a lot of life together… baby blessings, heartbreaks, late-night talks on the mountain, and road trips across the country.
And what he shared here?
It’s a message I’ve had to come back to—again and again.
In sports.
In business.
In parenting.
In life.
If you’ve ever wrestled with the fear of failure—or know someone who does (your kid, a teammate, a student, a friend)—this one’s for you:
“One of the lessons I wish I had learned earlier is that it’s okay to fail. We will fail more often in life than we succeed, but it’s the process of learning from those failures that can make us better.
When we fail, we have two options: give up and never try again, or learn from it, make adjustments, and put forth meaningful effort to grow.
Too often, we tie our self-worth to success. But behind every win, there’s usually a pile of setbacks.
Don’t cut corners. Don’t chase quick gratification. When failure shows up, choose option two—and trust that effort will make you better.”
—Kirk Doxey, Husband — Father — Former D1 Athlete (Utah Valley University) — Visa AE — Hunting Buddy Extraordinaire — and so much more.
Love you, brother.
—Dallas Pruitt, Co-Founder at ImpactEd.
P.S. If you're a coach, parent, Athletic Director, or leader working with student-athletes or young people at any capacity (sports, leadership, academics, performing arts, etc.)—forward this message and help us spread the word. Share it with your teams, schools, and families. These small truths spark big conversations. Let’s keep fueling the future—together.
