Failure: By any other name…

While failure does not smell as sweet as a rose, it is what some people seek just the same. What if it did have another name, would it change how some perceive it?

To hear people like Gary Vaynerchuk, talk about failure, that he almost wants to fail…is not easy to relate to for most of us. Gary has not fear of failure, because he never gives up. He has built such self-confidence, without ego, from years of experience. Each step along the way is more information, which allows him to make even better decisions. It doesn’t mean he is always right, no one is, but it does mean he has ZERO FEAR of failure.

So, let’s take a deeper dive on what failure means in the context of a few different industries.

Armed Services –

·        Failure can result in loss of life – which can’t be changed once it happens, hence why failure is ‘not an option’ for these professionals. They get to this standard by practicing over and over, which all starts with basic training. That first step is too much for most people, to even want to try.

Pro Athletes –

·        Repeated micro-failures that have provided lessons to improve overtime. With practice and self-awareness, improvements can be made. Michael Jordan didn’t make his high school basketball team – but clearly did well in the NBA. That wasn’t luck, he worked, practiced and failed constantly. After he retired, the last time, he still spoke about the shots he missed more than the shots he made.

Business Strategy –

·        Businesses should always be testing new approaches to generate growth and/or revenue. For most successful people/companies that means 80% of your efforts should be supporting the business and 20% is your testing ground. This methodology can allow businesses to survive, by testing new strategies and having diverse ways to generate revenue. If the test fails, the business still survives and should be better prepared for the next test.

So, for most areas of the business world the situation is much the same. Have a foundation to build upon – skill set, raw talent. Work really hard, for a long time. Expect failure. Someone else that I think describes it better than me, Kobe Bryant -  

“The dream was the work it took to get there. Those times when you get up early…those times when you stay up late…when you’re too tired…you don’t want to push yourself, but you do it anyway. That is actually the dream.”

The process of growing and improving is what the greatest leaders enjoy the most. It also builds the skills to overcome the next challenge easier or faster. Take the principals learned and apply to life in the future.

No one should judge themselves based on the life or opinion of another person. That is like judging a sunflower, for not being a rose.

“Fail early, fail often, fail forward.” Will Smith is exactly correct!

If you ever want to discuss business strategy, even lessons learned from past failures…reach out anytime. I enjoy finding solutions to challenges faced in the business world.

Josh Turner

Focused on your success