Most of us understand that we must experience failure in order to define our subsequent success, but not all who fail can grow. (Photo: Shutterstock)

During a recent podcast interview, I was asked about the most difficult lesson I've learned up until this point. While taking stock of the last few years, I really tried to think of all the mistakes I had made over time and pinpoint something I'd learned. Not surprisingly, I was unable to narrow my mistakes down to just one—there have been many; perhaps more than I ever cared to admit, until recently.

Although my setbacks have been plentiful, so have my comebacks. While reflecting on the past few years, I've realized that every step backward I've taken has somehow allowed me to take two steps forward.

They say that an arrow cannot move forward unless it is first pulled back, and the same is true for progress. Most of us understand that we must experience failure in order to define our subsequent success but, not all who fail can grow. At least not unless we're willing to embrace the one key element that sits between the fall and the climb: vulnerability.

Join Emma for her BenefitsPRO Broker Expo virtual session, "Professional and Personal Resilience and the Path to Success" on Tuesday, August 18 at 12:15 PM.  

And that's where I discovered my answer.