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Falling Upward: Why Your Worst Failures Are Your Greatest Turning Point

Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life

Richard Rohr

You've spent decades building a container—your career, your identity, your reputation. What if that container has to shatter for you to truly live? In 'Falling Upward: A Spirituality for the Two Halves of Life', Franciscan priest Richard Rohr flips the script on success. The first half of life is about constructing a strong ego, playing it safe, and chasing approval. But the second, richer half only begins when you take a fall—a failure, a betrayal, a diagnosis. That's when the container cracks open and you finally discover the contents you were meant to hold. This video unpacks Rohr’s most destabilizing insights: why your inner 'loyal soldier' must be honorably discharged, how your shadow self keeps you living a lie, and why the only way up is down. If you’ve ever felt lost, stuck, or terrified of failing, this perspective will feel like liberation. Richard Rohr is a globally respected spiritual teacher and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation. 'Falling Upward' is a modern classic for anyone navigating a midlife transition, a crisis of meaning, or the quiet ache for a deeper life.