Yuan Xu

Every success story is littered with failures. Failure underscores our ambitions and aspirations and strengthens our growth mindset. Create your Resumé of Failures, just like preparing for a job application. List unfinished projects, schools you didn't get accepted to, skills not mastered. Think bigger picture: are these even failures?

I didn't buy my dad a birthday gift, but I said happy birthday and he was happy

I didn't get into Cornell, but I got into Parsons. Spending great times here

I didn't take care of my cat well, but she's still living well, and she loves me

I quit dancing but I started to learn the guitar

I didn't save the relationship, but my life is getting better

Although there are times in my life when I regret or fail to do something, I feel like everyone is not perfect. Growing up, I learned that it is okay to make mistakes, whether big ones or small ones. What matters is that I can stand up and keep going after failures or think of another way to get myself out of the difficult situation. There are often times when I would think that if I tried harder, it would work. However, I would never know the best answer to life and what is a perfect action like. Now, I think as long as I try my best, although things might not work the way I expected, it's all part of me. I accept my failures and my successes, they are the fundamentals that build who I am today.