What does failure mean to you?

General Section question

I had a major project at work that ended in failure on my part. There were other people involved, but the buck stops with me.

I have learned a lesson. Everyone has been very supportive. I have a meeting scheduled with the boss to talk about it in 2 days, and it’s a meeting I asked for.

I am new in my job, and I was not given any information about the procedures surrounding the project I was given. It turns out I needed to follow certain protocol that I had no clue about. So now I know to ask about next steps every time I have something to do. (I work in government, and protocol is important.)

This failure means I get to spend some time processing my personal emotions on my own, in meditation, and in therapy. I will get to hear everything my boss wants to say about how I messed up. Also, now I know what it feels like to completely mess something up at this job.

This failure also means I get the opportunity to practice being brave. I asked for the meeting with the boss. I made the phone calls to the affected individuals. I wrote the emails. (And I feel like shit.)

What does failure mean to you?

As an added question: how do you work through the personal ramifications?