It may sound counterintuitive, but failing is actually one of the keys to succeeding!
Earlier this week I attended Brandon Bartron’s weekly national sales call (if you are reading this, make sure to join this call each week). The topic was failure. It was interesting the various comments and ideas shared by people on the call. Most pointed to a positive attribute of failure.
One of the ways that failing helps you succeed is the feedback loop that it provides. Anything worth doing well is worth doing poorly in the beginning. As we fail to succeed we are gaining instructive insight about what we need to change, do better, or do less in order to succeed. We only get this instruction by entering the arena and being willing to fail in order to learn.
Another idea about failure has to do with our goals. If your goal is to always win, you might not mentally and emotionally submit yourself to something that could result in failure initially. People who are unwilling to fail, we refer to as “risk-adverse”. They will never achieve their full potential because they actually fear failure. People who fear failure are controlled by their emotions, not by the endless possibilities available to those who are open to learning.
Perhaps the greatest example I have witnessed of failure has to do with the people who refuse to set goals for themselves and commit publicly to those goals. When asked about their goals they give fuzzy and non–quantifiable answers. When asked about their sales goals they say things like “I’m going to do the best I can.” They fear making a public commitment to do something that possibly they may not be able to achieve. They fear failure and it results in mediocrity in their career and their life.
One of the best lines I’ve ever heard about failing your way to success is “bite off more than you can chew, and learn to chew it!”
So the bottom line is “run towards failure!” Seek it out. Embrace it! The physical body only get stronger by working your muscles to failure. So it is in your career as well. If you never fail to hit your sales goals, it’s likely your goals are too low and too safe.
Failing is validation that you are on the road to success!
I love your insight. Failing your way to success is actually somewhat similar to fake it til you make it. The difference comes by being aware of and evaluating the process you are going through as you fail. You must tweak it repeatedly along the way or failure won’t change or faking it won’t provide success. I am enjoying your blogposts. Thanks for sharing your gift and experience to help others become better.
Thanks for taking the time to read and leaving a comment Mark! I totally agree with your idea about using failure as an opportunity to get better provided you focus on and improve the process. Best of success to you.