The last couple years I’ve been practicing at failing more often. Yes, that’s right – failing. It takes practice you know. Nobody “wants” to fail. So how do you get good at it if you don’t practice?
The better question is: why the hell do you need to get good at it? Especially when it seems so damn easy! Here’s why: The quicker and more spectacularly you fail – and accept it, the sooner you can start the next product, project, venture or idea with out fear of said failure.
Fear holds you back. It stops forward progress. Life rolls on whether you do anything or not. You might as well roll with it instead of against it. Everybody has ideas. Write them down in a notebook. Take some action. I’m completely convinced 99% of the reason so few take action is because they fear failure.
Fail damn it! Fail!! Take aim. Miss!! So what? The sun comes up the next day. Failing is not special – it’s NORMAL. Those who point to your failures with right hand covering their mouths while snickering, have never done anything… Of course they’re perfect. They have zero failures on their resume`.
If it’s embarrassment or your ego getting bruised that’s stopping you, then you just need to practice failing more often. Nobody is really looking at you. Nobody cares. Everyone is focused on themselves. Ego, embarrassment and humble pie are the gatekeepers to success. The truth of the matter is, those three man-made, self-imposed, road-blocks are the gate-WAYS to success. Ignore them. Let ’em go.
The person who boasts “I’ve never fallen off a horse” – hasn’t ridden many horses! Throw a party and no one shows? Call a person by the wrong name? Forget your line on stage? Offer something for sale and nobody buys it. Create some piece of art and everybody passes? Get a bad review? Strike out with the bases loaded? Fall off a horse in front of 20,000 people? Start a business and it doesn’t work? Lose money? Get fired!?
I’ve done all these things. Every single one of them. So what. Move on. Next.. What’s the worst thing that can happen? I’m waiting…. Yes….? Probably the worst thing is you lose money. OK, I get that too. I’ve lost plenty of money on ideas, ventures and choices. If you put “X” dollars into a venture and it fails, sell off what’s left, get some of your money back. Pick up those pieces, learn and move on.
Years ago a mentor and client of mine told me not to worry about getting beat. He said, “We don’t get embarrassed and we don’t get red-faced.” He gave me permission to fail. In doing so, he gave me the opportunity to succeed.