Difference Between Fault and Failure

Fault vs Failure

At one point in every man’s life, one encounters a failure or, in most cases, several failures. They may be caused by a situation over which he has no command over, or they may be caused by something that he himself is responsible for, such as a fault. Determining one’s success or failure depends upon how the individual or society as a whole views an action or objective.

This is because man’s behavior is sometimes based on the norms or expectations of society, and any departure from these norms can be labeled as mistakes, errors, or faults which may lead to failure.

“Fault” is synonymous to mistake and error although these words differ in context depending on how they are being applied. A fault may be caused by misjudgment, carelessness, and forgetfulness. When one is at fault, it may be because he is ignorant, not paying attention, or is judging things badly. It is considered a character weakness, a shortcoming, a frailty, or an inadvertent mistake. “Fault” may also refer to a physical or intellectual imperfection, impairment, or defect. Oftentimes it denotes a person’s responsibility for a bad situation or event, a wrongdoing, or failure.

“Failure,” on the other hand, is the condition or state of not being able to meet an intended objective. It is the opposite of success and is dependent on how it is used. A situation may be deemed a failure by a person while it may be viewed a success by another. In life, failures are important to help individuals do better and become successful. Scientists, engineers, programmers, and many other people achieve success through learning from their faults and failures. Failure inspires creativity. Punishing individuals, especially students, harshly for their failures can restrict their creative process and stunt their intellectual and artistic growth. Failures can be bad but they can also be good.

Good failures are the results of making the right decisions but still losing in the end. This may be caused by taking in more work than you can handle or of things and situations that you have no control over. Still it is better than to have never tried at all.

Bad failures are the results of making bad decisions or not making any decisions at all. Failing because you are afraid of taking risks is bad because it does not encourage you to do better. This failure is the result of a fault, a weakness of character that needs to be corrected.

Summary:

1.A fault is a mistake or error caused by misjudgment, carelessness, and forgetfulness while a failure is the condition or state of not being able to meet an intended objective.
2.A fault is a character weakness, a frailty, or a shortcoming that can result in failures if not addressed well.
3.Failures can either be good or bad, but faults always have negative connotations.
4.To help oneself achieve success, it is very important to realize the circumstances that led to one’s failure and to correct any faults that have caused it.