Have you ever failed before? So have I. Do you want to be part of something exciting and bigger than yourself? So do I. Do you fear you are not tapping into your fullest potential? So do I. Welcome to FailUp, where students build game-changing ideas for startups in order to learn, grow, and ultimately feel more fulfilled. This is what my startup is all about.

We all have failure stories. Whether it is making a fool of yourself in front of class, saying something stupid to your crush, or missing the last shot in a close game. I am writing this blog post because I want to share with you my failure story. A story that gave me some valuable insight into better understanding the mystery of failure. This story goes a bit deeper, though, than simple embarrassment – just a heads up!

My biggest failure occurred spring semester sophomore year, when I was taking 24 credits, managing a team of 12, and competing for $20,000 in Tulane’s Business Model Competition. I started to forget to respond to the basic needs of my body because I was so excited about my idea and its “world-changing” potential. I could not sleep for multiple days. I forgot to shower. And I ignored my hunger. I was combining the necessary ingredients–excitement, stress, and lack of sleep–to cook up something big. I lost my grip with reality and ultimately had a manic episode. It was like an attack. After receiving necessary medical attention, my parents and I decided it was best for me to withdraw from classes and end the semester early. My ultimate plan, to execute the perfect undergraduate college career, was ruined. I lost academic credits, I lost my team, I lost my momentum, and I lost some hard-earned credibility. My confidence was shaken and I decided to let go of my project, since it had destroyed my health and relationships. I felt like a complete and utter failure.

It wasn’t until a year later, when I spent a semester abroad in Buenos Aires, tht I regained clarity. A whole year passed without working on my idea. I felt empty. I needed this project in order to feel good about how I spent my time and I still believed in the vision. Also, I still had $5,000 in my pocket from winning the NewDay challenge, which my team had won thanks to a relatively successful Facebook competition. With this funding, I decided to work with professional programmers and designers. I have been able to rebuild a team of Tulane students and re-engage stakeholders who were initially involved a couple years ago. I did not lose as much as I initially thought. Others still believed in me and my vision, despite the bump in the road.

Handling failure is a difficult thing. My relationship with failure, in particular, has been very tricky. According to my experiences and beliefs, failure is truly something that we should all seek, especially as young people who can more readily afford to make mistakes. It can teach you so much. However, my fear of failure still very much haunts over me. I fear others’ judgements. I fear that I am not doing the right thing, and I especially fear public speaking (and sometimes pretty girls). I hope through FailUp, I can put myself in a position to fail and become more comfortable with that process, so that I am more likely to succeed and reach my ultimate goals. I invite you to join me in that journey. A journey to become bolder and better while creating something new and exciting.

Today, our online “social network for student entrepreneurs” is built and we are excited to announce its launch. Visit www.failup.io to register on our platform and start engaging with innovative ideas led by students at Tulane! Thanks for reading and feel free to contact me directly at ethanlevy@failup.io to chat about anything!

By Ethan Levy, Founder of FailUP