“Teach me how to fail”, asked no-one ever
Failure is something I’ve contemplated with more vigour than normal lately. For many, it’s the diametric opposite of success, and the point at which all hell breaks loose. It’s happened to all of us countless times before, and it’s usually always deeply unpleasant.
So, why should I consider the act of failure again? Because, I choose to disagree with the accepted meaning, that failure implies a “lack of success”. The instant that that becomes the definition, you irrevocably set people up for failure.
“Fail fast” is something you hear a lot in start–up parlance or from those who think they’re actually in a start-up (even when they’re not), but be extremely wary that it isn’t being confused with “setting up” something, or someone, for failure. I’ve seen this happen with my own eyes.
Why not consider failure as an outcome merely removed from the expected one; a different path. If you didn’t deliver what was asked of you, but managed to accomplish something entirely different yet better, is that not failure? In fact, why is that not considered failure? It’s because we’re all too busy celebrating success.
Failure, when it happens, should be an opportunity to have a civil (this is where it usually fails — see what I did there), constructive (here, too) conversation about what has been learned. It allows us to understand and accept the state of the outcome, whether good or bad: if it’s the former, consider how it can be repeated, or if it’s the latter, discuss what you can do better. Failure, then, can truly become an opportunity that success may not always provide.
If you think I’ve failed to make my point, I won’t apologise. Because today, let’s not belittle, but instead celebrate failure.
