Let’s Break the Taboo on “Failure” - download & share the poster!

This poster encourages the onlooker not to be ashamed of failure, but to accept and embrace failure as part of (academic) life. It is intended to spark conversations that inspire positive change, both on a personal and professional level.

Failure is a natural part of life, yet it is a topic that is very difficult to talk about for most people. In today’s hyper-competitive world, where image and success are valued above all, failure is often seen as something to hide or ignore. Academia is no exception. We are happy to highlight and showcase our successes, while talking about our failures can make us feel exposed and ashamed. This is unfortunate, for failure can in fact lead to unexpected discoveries and spark conversations that inspire positive change, both personally and professionally. Early-career researchers may feel that they do not measure up to the ideal standard when comparing themselves to their academic role models, who may seem “flawless”, without realising that, on their road to success, these role models likely faced setbacks and moments of self-doubt that they had to overcome.

Please, join us in setting a good example, and give this poster a spot in the limelight so it can serve as an inspiration for (junior) colleagues, (PhD) students, and employees!

This poster was designed by artist Jobbe Holtes in collaboration with Muirne Paap in the context of the Young Academy Groningen (YAG) project “Failing Forward”. The project was driven by Marcello Seri, Léonie de Jonge, Esther Metting, Karsten Schulz, David Cheruiyot, Benjamin Leruth, and Muirne Paap. In addition to this poster, the project team developed a visual representation of the “academic road to success” in collaboration with artist Ellen van Heijst, and a ZINE designed in collaboration with Jobbe Holtes and Femke de Heer. The ZINE drew on input gathered during a creative workshop, organised by the YAG, in which academics of all ranks could participate, and encourages you to think and talk about what failure means to you, helping break the taboo.

The poster and ZINE are available as a free download

More inforamtion aboutt he YAG Failing forward project can be found on this webpage