The Art of Failure

Failure can be such taboo that even I had doubts writing about such a fundamental element of success. Yet it is imperative that we understand and embrace the concept of failure as a means to success and how well we must fail. 

Therefore, let's not waste time chasing rainbows on unicorns of our past successes or, even worse, those of our pied piper role models. Rather, let's better understand failure and the true value of risk we sometimes avoid in the pursuit of success. 

Have a vision, plan with diligence, assess the risks, jump! ... and if you fail, live long enough to know why and how you failed.

Failure and how well you recover from it is your true tested capacity and ability to succeed. Your strength resides within the knowledge, skills, and insights gained from experiencing failure, not success. 

Failure inoculates and empowers you to leap forward rather than tip-toe your way with 'baby-steps' while clutching self-improvement manuals and repeating vacuous mantras by business guru's... most of whom are busy writing, yet, another recipe for success from their veranda in Fiji...

Nobel-Prize winner and my preferred guru on the subject, Daniel Kahneman, wrote on "Delusion of Success..."  and the factors that lead to, sometimes, epic failures. As a thought-leader in Behavioural Economics, Kahneman warns entrepreneurs against 'optimism bias' leading to unrealistic expectations founded largely on previous successes rather than diligence in assessing current market conditions or own abilities and resources to repeat triumphs of yesteryears.

God forbid, you have a 'serial winner' in a leadership position forging forth with a cloak of invincibility taking even greater risks on-behalf of his employers and employees. The bigger their successes, the greater potential of bias clouding every decision they make and, worse, every decision others endorse and follow at board level and beyond. This was also identified by Psychologist Edward Thorndike as the 'Halo Effect' where military leaders were left unchallenged by subordinates who believed in the invincibility of their charismatic and 'could-do-no-wrong' heroes. History is full of examples which I shall leave to you to research.

Failure is not an option but an inevitable fact of life which. If approached correctly, failures are your best self-help book or seminar... it is our best source to listen to on everything we need to know about us and the way we operate with the elements... 

In business, we need to instill a culture at ease with itself and diligent in analysing failure with intent to learn, innovate and grow with resilience, courage, and intelligence.

So..., if we fail... let's fail well.