We Either Win or Learn: Myra on the Spark of Failure

In this inspiring follow-up episode, Myra returns to the Lil' Leaders Podcast to share her powerful essay on failure in honor of National Failure Day. You might remember Myra from her first visit, when she told us how she created her nonprofit, Sparklez.org, to help raise money for a girls' school in India and reminded us that we're never too young to make a difference.

This time, Myra opens up about how failure isn't the opposite of success—it's part of it. She shares how losing at nationals for her health app invention and in dance competitions taught her to focus not on what she didn't achieve, but on how much she grew simply by trying. Her favorite quote by Maya Angelou—"I never lose. I either win or I learn."—reminds her that failing helps us think creatively, build resilience, and grow stronger.

Join us as Myra dives into what it means to learn from mistakes, why creativity often begins when things go wrong, and how failure can be one of the most powerful teachers in life.

Picture Book Recommendations:

a. The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes

Authors: Mark Pett & Gary Rubenstein Illustrator: Mark Pett

Being perfect is overrated.

Beatrice Bottomwell has NEVER (not once!) made a mistake. She never forgets her math homework, she never wears mismatched socks, and she ALWAYS wins the yearly talent show at school. In fact, the entire town calls her The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes!

One day, the inevitable happens: Beatrice makes a huge mistake in front of everyone!

But in the end, readers (and perfectionists) will realize that life is more fun when you enjoy everything—even the mistakes.

b. Yay! You Failed! Author & Illustrator: Shannon Anderson Illustrator: Steve Mark

Celebrate mistakes and setbacks! In Yay! You Failed!, young readers learn how to set goals, overcome challenges, build resilience, and believe in themselves.

Simple "you-can-do-it" strategies in this book can help kids learn:

why practice makes progress, not perfect ways to keep going when the going gets tough how to set and achieve goals tips for looking on the bright side and staying positive Yay! You Failed! is a growth mindset chapter book that will appeal to kids beginning to read independently. With its humorous and light-hearted tone, kids are encouraged to develop the life skills needed to set goals and overcome challenges. Includes a glossary of terms to support children's vocabulary growth.

Cool Q's For Discussion:

Myra says that failing teaches us things we wouldn't learn otherwise. Can you think of a time when something didn't go as planned but ended up teaching you something valuable?

2. Her favorite quote is "I never lose, I either win or I learn." What does that mean to you?

3.Myra learned to focus on growth instead of what she didn't achieve. What's one way you could do the same next time something doesn't go perfectly?

4. She says creativity often starts when something has gone wrong. Can you think of an example where a mistake led to a great idea?

5. Myra reminds us that our real strength is how we handle disappointment. How do you handle it when you feel disappointed, and what helps you move forward?

6. What is your main takeaway from today's episode with Myra?

Have a great week everyone!

Keep Leading and Keep Reading,

Tina