Reflections, Resets, and Relentless Comebacks

By Paul Yung

As we enter the final quarter of 2025, it’s natural to feel a mix of urgency and reflection. Some of us may be on track with our goals, some ahead, and others way behind. Regardless of where you stand, there’s one thing I know for sure: setbacks are part of the process.

If you’re feeling behind, disappointed, or even tempted to quit, this one’s for you.

Let’s be honest, nobody likes to fail. It stings. But somewhere along the way, we started thinking that failure is the opposite of success. That if you fall down, it means you weren’t meant for this path. That’s simply not true. A winner is just a loser who tried one more time.

A groundbreaking study by researchers from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management found something fascinating.

They studied two groups of scientists applying for grants from the U.S. National Institutes of Health. One group narrowly missed receiving funding (the “near miss” group), while the other just made the cut (“near win”).

Here’s what surprised the researchers: over the next 10 years, the “near miss” group went on to outperform the “near win” group in terms of impactful research. Despite their early rejection, these individuals published more influential work, measured by citations, than their more “successful” counterparts.

Why? Because failure, if you don’t give up, refines you.

The study concluded that those who failed but stayed in the game developed greater grit, clarity, and creativity. They became more strategic. Their failure made them sharper. And they succeeded because they didn’t let one rejection define them.

In other words: failure can be more valuable than early success, if you learn from it and persist.

This speaks deeply to me. I’ve made decisions in business that didn’t work. Projects that flopped. Campaigns that missed the mark. But every one of those setbacks taught me what not to do again. Quoting Sir James Dyson, “Failures don’t tell you what to do. They tell you what not to do.” And sometimes, that’s even more powerful.

So instead of dreading your setbacks this year, embrace them.

Did your project underperform? Did your health goals stall? Did that new strategy go sideways?

Good. Because now you’re smarter.

Now you’re starting from experience, not from scratch.

This final quarter of the year isn’t just about closing sales or hitting goals. It’s about building resilience. The kind of resilience that studies now show may be more valuable than early wins. You can still make progress. You can still finish strong. And you can start 2026 not just with ambition, but with the kind of wisdom you can’t Google or download, you had to live through it.

Take time this month to ask yourself:

What went wrong this year, and what did I learn?

What went right, and how can I double down on it?

What needs to change to finish this year with clarity and strength?

You don’t need to accomplish everything before December 31st.

You just need to carry the lesson forward so that the next time, you’re not just trying harder, you’re trying wiser.

So, to anyone who feels like this year didn’t go as planned, I say this, your mistakes weren’t failures. They were tuition. And now, you’re educated.

“Success isn’t about never falling. It’s about becoming the kind of person who refuses to stay down.”

Wishing you growth, grit, and a strong finish to 2025.