The gift in failure

Reshma Saujani went to Yale Law School, public policy school at Harvard and followed that up with jobs at big law firms and hedge funds. 

Even though she seemed to be successful, she was feeling totally empty. So around 2010, she decided she wanted to help people. 

She was the first Indian American woman to run for U.S. Congress. She ran in her New York City district against a powerful and entrenched incumbent. 

Everyone told her she was crazy to run. And she lost, pretty badly.  

But the whole experience made her realize she didn't have to be perfect, that she could take a big risk, fail and recover. 

She was still committed to her why--to help people. And she thought about all the people she saw on the campaign trail. 

She spent a lot of time in schools, and noticed that there were no girls in the science classes or computer science classes or robotics classes.  

So she started a company called Girls Who Code to teach high school girls how to code and how to get comfortable with imperfection and live their bravest, fullest lives.

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Do you ever hold yourself back from trying something because you’re afraid you might fail? 

Does perfection keep you from taking action? 

There is always a gift in failure. 

Think about a time in your life you failed at something. What was the gift in that? 

I’d love to hear about it.