Failure, as much as it sucks, is an important part of life. In fact, failure is necessary. Learn to embrace failure and see it as a stepping stone on the way to success. Take that first step and make it happen. You might get knocked down time after time after time but you can’t be a failure if you keep getting back up. You can only be a failure if you give up. Don't be afraid to fail. Be afraid not to try. Evansville, Indiana native, Courtney Johnson, is the founder and executive director of a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization called Young & Established. He created Y&E in 2013 to build a community-oriented organization. Through Y&E, he wanted to inspire and motivate youth and young adults to promote safety, education and success. Courtney believes the work he does is bigger than himself, and his greatest desire is to do everything possible to make the world a better place, one community at a time! This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx