An interaction between my wife and daughter yesterday made me think of a lesson I learned a while ago about failure.
Daughter: Mom, I want candy.
Wife: No.
Daughter: Please Mom, I want candy.
Wife: No, you had candy yesterday.
Daughter: (More forceful and hostile) I want candy!
Wife: I said no.
Daughter: (Now angry) I want candy now!
Wife: You can get angry, but you are not getting candy.
Daughter: (Now crying) Mom, I want candy. Please give me candy…..
Wife: Sorry, you can’t have candy today.
Daughter: (After a while, stops crying and abandons the idea). Most probably thinks to herself, “I don’t want candy anyway.”