<p>This is my first draft of the "Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?" prompt. The maximum word count is 650 words and I'm at 619 right now. At the moment I'm quite confident with the first four paragraphs-- it's the last one that I'm struggling with. I seem to be having difficulty applying it to a larger, universal theme. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<pre><code> I had never given much thought to the importance and necessity of failure. Throughout my life I have prided myself in excelling in activities with minimal accounts of error; whether that be academically or in personal endeavours, failure was never a real factor in my pursuits of excellence. This may be why finishing last at a sailing regatta came as a shock to my partner and I. Looking back on this experience, I’ve realized that not only was the entire fiasco hilarious, it was also a critical learning experience.
Having recently been recruited to a renown junior sailing program, the pressure to do well has grown steadily. With three years of sailing experience, I am considered a novice in the world of competitive sailing — to put this into perspective, some members of my team were born on boats. While this puts me at a disadvantage to my peers, it also motivates me to train harder. Training sixteen hours per week, my partner and I continue to improve. Sadly, the concern of this essay does not end in a successful triumph — it is literally the exact opposite.
Imagine yourself on the breezy, olive oceans of the Pacific Northwest. Periodically, a gentle puff of wind awakens your senses, and your serene surroundings of evergreen trees, mountains, and the skyline of Vancouver promotes a zen state. Now picture yourself in a boat half-full of freezing cold water, ominous black waves so large that you can’t see over their crescent, 60 km/h wind, and a useless broken rudder. Besides having no experience in high wind sailing, my partner and I were uncomfortable head to toe: drenched and frozen wetsuits, bruised limbs, chapped lips, numb fingers, and worst of all, starving because our energy bars were soggy.
Last October, the abrupt La Niña windstorm served as a premonition for the trauma to come at the Pumpkin Bowl Regatta. In hindsight, the warning sign of boats being towed in and coastguards circling the racecourse should have deterred us. Instead, we were determined to compete against the veteran sailors. Unfortunately, simultaneous torrential downpour and twenty-four knots of wind were unprecedented sailing conditions for my partner and I. With only ourselves to rely on, we tested our limits of endurance. From harbour to start line, we communicated concerns and strategies for our every move. Despite our efforts, the boat’s rudder broke, we capsized on the starting line — disqualifying us from the first out of four races — and our boat narrowly escaped sinking by virtue of the coastguard’s heroic assistance. To top the day off, without our knowledge, the race had been abandoned hours ago.
Though conquered by the forces of nature, the agony of placing last at Pumpkin Bowl has proven to be a major milestone in my sailing career. Before competing in this regatta, I was afraid of failing and its negative stigma. Instead, placing last at a major competition has broadened my perspective of why failure is important: improvement. I’ve learned that with failure comes an opportunity to gain experience and knowledge for future endeavours. Now, I always double check my boat for faulty equipment before launching, and I frequently look for weather patterns in upcoming regattas. By preparing for the ..most challenging.., I am no longer disappointed when I am unable to perform to the high standards I set for myself. Setting realistic expectations — including knowing when to accept defeat — is a universally applicable skill. Finding myself in adverse situations has allowed me to trust my instincts, as well as to move forwards as an adaptable and optimistic individual. Although we went home without ribbons, we undoubtedly learned more than any other team there — failure is a catalyst for future success.
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