JUMP

Embracing Regret, Courage, and the Art of Failing Forward

In our journey through life and career, we often stand at a crossroads where the paths are not just divergent but demand a leap of faith. Today, I want to share a pivotal moment in my life—a moment when jumping, despite the fear and potential for failure, turned out to be one of the most defining decisions I ever made.

Years ago, under the leadership of a previous manager, I was faced with a high-risk decision that could potentially shift the trajectory of my career. The stakes were high, and the possibility of failure loomed large. When the results weren't immediately successful, this manager tried to corner me into admitting that I had made a mistake. But here’s the truth I've come to embrace: the real mistake would have been if I had never taken that leap at all. As T.S. Eliot famously said, "Only those who will risk going too far can find out how far one can go."

Regret is a complex emotion, often not about the missteps we take but the paths we never tread. Research suggests that when people reflect on their past, they are more likely to regret things they haven't done than the things they have, even if their actions failed [insert reference]. This resonates deeply with my experience. The decision to leap, despite the fear and uncertainty, was a process of self-discovery and growth.

John C. Maxwell, in his seminal book "Failing Forward", articulates that the difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure. He writes, "The key to success is to risk thinking unconventional thoughts. Convention is the enemy of progress." As someone deeply embedded in the world of business, where risks and rewards walk hand-in-hand, these words are a daily reminder that every failure is merely a stepping stone towards greater achievements.

Failing forward is an essential strategy for innovation and leadership. It’s about using the stumbles and falls as invaluable learning experiences that propel us forward, rather than setbacks that hold us back. This philosophy encourages us not only to accept the possibility of failure but to embrace and anticipate it as an integral part of the journey to success.

Moreover, courage is often misunderstood as the absence of fear. However, the essence of courage is more accurately described by Nelson Mandela, who once said, "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear." Each day, we face our fears when we step into our roles, make tough decisions, and push the boundaries of what's comfortable or guaranteed.

So, to anyone standing on the edge, contemplating whether to take that leap of faith in your life, career, or passion: Remember that there is hope, and there is immense potential in the very act of jumping. The leap might be daunting, and the descent might be turbulent, but the rise that follows—fueled by knowledge, experience, and resilience—can lead you to heights previously unimaginable.

Let’s not look back and regret the chances we didn’t take. Instead, let's embrace the challenges, jump at new opportunities, and move forward with the courage to fail because it is in those moments we truly find what we are capable of achieving.

So, I urge you, Jump! —because on the other side of fear and failure lies the success story of your future self.

~S.Montanaro