Failure is not an Option! Erm, NO - actually it is!
How many times have you heard the expression "failure is not an option!"
I suspect it's quite a lot and it is usually used as a positive motivational saying to encourage people to try hard and keep going until they succeed at what they are trying to achieve.
I've used it myself a number of times but having thought about it I wonder if it is actually a positive thing to say or not.
The reason is that I think it maybe puts undue pressure on someone to not fail and rather than encourage the person to succeed, does it actually make them more inclined to not try at all in case they actually do fail?
Is failure a bad thing?
Why do we consider failure to be a bad thing? Does it actually deserve the stigma attached to it?
As entrepreneurs and online business owners I tried to think of some examples of failure.
How about:
- Reading about a system but not actually putting it into practice
- Buying a training course and then never actually studying it
- Worrying about the outcome so not taking any action
These are more like examples of how to waste time than a failure because you haven't actually done anything!
To have a failure you need to take action
You need to get up off your ass, push yourself out of your comfort zone, try something new and challenging, and just give it a go!
Maybe it'll work out great. Fantastic!
Maybe it won't. Maybe you'll make a complete fool of yourself, fall flat on your face, lose some money, or realize you have spent hours of time on something that didn't work out.
Is that a failure? Yes.
Is it a bad thing?NO!
When you experience failure due to trying something and taking action then you learn things
You discover what doesn't work but also things that could work if you maybe do something a little differently. You add something to your plan, do something differently, tweak the process, seek advice...
and change!
A person who has experienced failure through taking action is a person who is learning.
In my efforts to build my online business I have experienced numerous failures.
I have spent a lot of money on training systems (I actually typed wasted money first time around before changing it). I haven't achieved the success I had hoped for, so I have failed.
But I tell you what - I have learned a hell of a lot - which is why I am still here and still as determined as ever to make a success of it.
I have created my own products and sold a decent number of them at low prices - just never enough to make a full time living. I now realize I chose the wrong niche. Another failure - but an awesome learning experience.
Is failure an option for you?
It should be!
The worst thing you can do is be that person who stands back and watches others but never tries it themself.
Don't be afraid to try. Who cares if it doesn't work out like you had hoped. Just regroup and try again and again until you get it right.
Failure is not something to be scared of. Get out there, make mistakes, learn from them, grow as a person and entrepreneur, then finally experience the success you deserve.
When you fail, just make sure you fail forward, and keep failing forward. That's the way you will eventually reach your goals.
Remember there's only one true failure - and that's when you give up.
Recent Comments
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If we could quantify learning then it would be interesting to see if what we learn from failure is of a higher quality than that which we learn from success or other avenues. Important lesson to be taken from your post Dave. Like it.
Interesting throught but as you say - hard to quantify.
I think failure teaches hard lessons which stick with you.
Success can lead you to a false sense of security...
Here is something to share with all. I dropped my laptop on the floor while it is on. I wanted to log in to check how the new theme I selected look as I tweaked and updated my website last night. I previewed the changes and everything looked fine. So this evening, I searched and opened my website on google. It is not updated, still with the old theme. My laptop fell on the floor so this evening I have no way to check why my website did not update. My laptop does not seem to be working properly. It is taking forever to do something. Could not log in at all. I had disconnected and reconnected the battery. Pounded on it! I have not backed up my files for WA. The only folder I have not made a back up copy. So for the last 1 hour I have been thinking how to move forward. I have a 14 hours flight 2 weeks from now. Maybe someone can give me a suggestion. I have an HP and barely 2 years old. I am thinking of buying a new one as repair may cost much. I live in SoCal.
Thank you.
Evelyn
Hopefully your work is recoverable, even if the laptop is broken. Somebody more technical than me could probably advise you better.
Thank you, Dave. I managed to think better the following morning and had taken steps. An IT friend helped me recover my files. Also ordered a new laptop. I should be back in biz by next week after installation of programs I need.
Glad you recovered your files. Losing your digital work is a massive blow. Which reminds me - I am overdue doing a backup 😮
Totally, agree. Failure happens but you learn from it, you grow from it, you develop ideas from failure, you then become an expert on something and then succeed, it pays off when you keep moving forward.
Yes exactly. We all make mistakes but we just need to look and see what we can learn from what went wrong and then do better next time.
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Failure is part of success that is why i agree with analysis that we shouldn't mistake failure to lack of action. most of us focus on the perceived failure and fail to try out to find out if it can fail of succeed. I refuse to fear failure, i will take action on what i feel is worth trying.
Thanks for sharing
The important thing is to continually take action. If things go wrong you can always make changes, but keep taking action