The pressure on young Namibians to succeed is enormous.

When a university door closes, a job application gets no reply, or a small business idea fails, it feels like the end of the world.

We grow up hearing that failing is not an option.

Because of this, we become so afraid of making mistakes that we stop trying new things.

But the truth about life is very different: Failure happens to everyone.

It is a normal part of the journey to a better future.

When you are trying to build a good life, failure can happen several times.

You might try your best and still get knocked down again and again.

It’s very discouraging when you experience one setback after another while trying to find your way in a tough economy.

However, you must remember a very important rule of life: Failure can happen many times, but success only needs to come once.

You can lose a dozen times, but it only takes one single breakthrough, one accepted job offer, or one successful project to completely change your life story.

All your past struggles fade away the moment you get that one win.

This is the main reason to never give up if you fail. The moment you stop trying, you turn a small detour into a permanent dead end.

Reaching your big goals requires you to be strong and stubborn.

You have to keep showing up and trying again, even when you’re tired and things look impossible.

Real strength is not built when everything is going perfectly.

True strength is born when you’re down on the ground but you still make the conscious decision to get up and take another step forward.

While you are pushing forward, you must also never forget that you’ve failed before.

Forgetting your past mistakes robs you of your most valuable lessons.

Look back at your failures as a textbook of wisdom.

Remembering where you tripped helps you watch your step in the future so you don’t make the same mistake twice. Your past failures show you exactly how tough you are and remind you that you can survive hard times.

To the youth of Namibia: Our current situation has many challenges, but your power to adapt and grow is bigger than any problem.

Do not let a few bad outcomes convince you that your life has stopped moving.

Treat your mistakes as simple lessons, protect your dreams, and keep working hard every day.

Time does not stand still, and your life is naturally moving forward.

Keep your head up, because that one big success is waiting for you just around the corner if you refuse to quit.

– Mirjam Iita is a Namibian youth.

The post Youth Must Fight Failure for Success appeared first on The Namibian.