The whole concept of what it even means to fail has got muddled, too. In relation to careers and business, it at least makes some sense to talk about learning from mistakes and doing better next time — even when that ignores the factors beyond our control that help or hinder us. Widening out the conversation to include things like friendships, family, relationships, health, feels more dubious. In those areas of our lives, how do you even define failure and success? Aren’t we all just making our way through the mess, doing better at some things than others? Failure is complex and confusing but as it’s become the latest buzzword, it's been smoothed out and sold back to us in a way that doesn’t always allow for nuance.