I’ve chosen the #2 topic of the Common App: “Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?”
I’m planning to write on a STEM competition I took part in (Robotics), how our team lost and what I learnt from it (Teamwork, Leadership, Not to procrastinate).
Is it too cliched?
It’s quite clichéd, but remember it’s absolutely possible to write about a cliché topic in a non-cliché way. Make sure it doesn’t sound like the standard ‘learning from failure’ essay by talking a lot about the unique ways in which this experience affected you, and what that shows about you as a person. Perhaps try it out and get someone else to read it to see what they think, although I imagine this essay will be harder to make unique than other choices for topics.
I chose the same option, and I think that the way to make it unique is your writing. If it’s well-written, though a bit cliched, you’ll be fine 
good luck! I had it read by my english teacher and did about 7 drafts :’)
What matters is not the topic you choose, but what you choose to say about it.