How Failing Fueled Me to Become Better

Dive in and learn how failing has been an important part of my life

Failing

Everyone has their own definition of failure.

Sometimes, you might think you've failed in one aspect of your life, while someone else out there wishes they could be in your position.

Well, I’m not successful enough yet to say that I’ve failed so much that it led me to massive success.

But at this point in my life, I’m grateful for everything that has happened—both the good and the bad.

My Story

I’ve always been passionate about what I do. I’ve explored different hobbies, tried different things, and learned a lot along the way.

It all started when I was that super social kid—the one greeting every human being that passed by, socializing with literally everyone at school. I was even generous enough to give my favorite race car to a close friend (who, by the way, kinda ditched me now, but that’s another story).

So yeah, that was me.

For a long time, I suffered diseases after diseases, asthma at a young age opened the door to other issues—tuberculosis, heart disease, kidney failure—things you wouldn’t imagine a young boy going through.

But through it all, I’m grateful for my parents and my amazing grandmother, who stood by me through those tough times.

But that’s not why you’re here, right?

You want to know how failure shaped me into becoming better. So let’s dive right in!

My Biggest Failures

I’ve had my fair share of failures—actually, a lot of them.

Let me just highlight some of the interesting ones that might (or might not) be a lesson for others.

2020: The Handbag Hustle

This was the year my perspective on independence changed. My sister wanted a handbag, so I contacted a guy selling them. And then, an idea hit me: What if I help him sell these handbags?

The guy agreed. I could set my price, keep the profit, and give him his share.

Simple, right?

So there I was—little me, starting my business journey. I told people privately that I was selling handbags. Of course, there were lots of criticisms, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to make something of my own.

First impression: turned down.

Second impression: “I like this bag! How much is it?”—I’d add a small profit, but still, no one bought!

For a whole week, I had about 15 people tell me they liked the bags, but not a single buyer. That hurt.

Eventually, I told the guy I was out, and he was cool with it.

STRIKE ONE!

2022: The Past Papers Website

Starting university, my goal was simple: Find a way to make money off students.

My first year was a mess—low GPA. I could see the disappointment in my parents' face, but honestly, I didn’t care much about academics. To me, knowledge is important, but stressing over grades isn’t the only path to success.

(PS: If school is your only way to success, please don’t just drop out without a plan!)

Luckily, I met friends who had a similar mindset. One of the best things I learned from them? Praying five times a day. (Yes, I wasn’t consistent before, but the right friends can change you fast.)

So, our genius idea? A website selling past papers. The idea came after we bought past papers from another site, never received them, and thought, What if we do this the right way?

Kudos to them by the way to make it happen!

We asked students if they’d buy—everyone said yes. But here’s the thing: Just because someone supports an idea doesn’t mean they’ll pay for it.

Let that sink in!

We thought we validated the idea, so we built the product and launched it. Feedback? “Great design!” “You guys are amazing developers!”—Yeah, nice words, blah blah but no customers.

Months passed. Not a single sale. We tried posters, messages, convincing friends—nothing worked.

Eventually, we got our first customer (after serious convincing). Then the second customer told us, “Your website sucks, these past papers are already available for free.” Brutal honesty, but much appreciated.

So yeah, another failure.

STRIKE TWO!

2024: Undervaluing Myself

I started getting some clients—super grateful for that. But I was in my “I want money, one way or another” phase. So, I took any project, no matter how low the pay.

I built a full system worth millions—charged $200.

Yep. I found out its actual worth after finishing the project. How? I asked. Yes, I was the dumbass who asked after the work was done.

To me, this was a failure because I didn’t value my time and skills. That project drained me, made me less productive in uni, and wasn’t worth the effort.

Yeah yeah I know, STRIKE THREE!

2024: The Clothing Business Disaster

I started selling second-hand clothes (mtumba). Business was great at first. Then one day—boom!

The guy I was working with disappeared. No calls, no trace of him.

Yeah, I was dumb. Lesson learned.

So again, STRIKE FOUR!

I could go on, but these are the ones I wanted to share so you won't get bored.

Lessons Learned

Failure is part of the process – If you’re scared to fail, you’ll never grow.
Not all feedback translates to action – People might love your idea, but that doesn’t mean they’ll buy.
Your time and skills have value – If you don’t value yourself, no one else will.
Choose your business partners wisely – Not everyone is reliable.
Take risks, but calculated ones – Some risks are worth it. Some aren’t. Learn the difference.
Know when to pivot or quit – Stubbornness isn’t always the answer.
The right people will shape you – Surround yourself with people who challenge you and help you grow.
Faith and perseverance matter – Trust in God, put in the work, and keep moving forward.

Nobody Is Going to Save You!

Every man/woman reaches a point where they realize: It’s always been you.

No one is coming to hand you success. No one is going to magically make things happen for you.

The sooner you accept that, the faster you’ll start living the life you want.

Cheers to more failures and learning from them to get stronger and stronger!