It is unfortunate that "failure" is such an emotionally, critically & morally charged word for a state that is a necessary part of the spectrum of our experiences. And beating ourselves up over it is detrimental to any path to "success." Yer on the right track there.

Having some of my most intense philosophical debates with an engineer, I tend to see failure as part of the bell curve of how people/things/situations/gizmos work. Not a sin, not a reflection on the value of the individual or thing involved, just a fact. Whatever it was you wanted or expected to happen, did not. I think people as well as materials can be "tested to failure" - it shows you the limits of your capacity, but it hardly makes it a sin to fail. Identifying that breaking point gives you knowledge to improve, correct or even avoid situations like that in the future.

In so many situations, failure is a necessary step to ultimate success. Most situations you can't get ANYTHING 100% correct the first time. Intolerace of failure is only going to screw up that learning curve, and your being willing to permit failure gives you a clear head to succeed. Good on yez.

Joanne in Cleveland, failing spectacularly at all sorts of things.