Last week, my dearest niece started pre-school, and, as is conventional, I wished her success. But, I was lying. What I actually wish for her is failure. For I believe in the power failure has in aiding one to obtain their desired success. Success is tedious for it is merely proving that you can do something that you already know you can do, or that you have done something correctly the first time, which can often be a problematical victory as it is usually a fluke. First-time failure, by contrast, is expected for this is the natural order of things. Failure provides one with the means of acquiring knowledge. I have been constantly reminded that a good cook is “she who has