Failure is not OK

Not what you’re used to hearing, right?

We encourage mistakes and failure because they are a necessary part of the learning process, right? There are no stupid questions.

We say this, but as is often the case, we don’t follow that up with our actions.

Everyday, I speak to people who have amazing ideas, but don’t want to share them for fear that one day they don’t become reality. They are afraid that if they tell someone what they think, then they don’t make it happen, that they have made an irreparable error. Countless amazing companies, clubs, art projects, and more have never become reality because people don’t want to be the person who doesn’t follow through on what they say.

I will say that it is important to follow through with things that you say you will do, but there is a difference between sharing an idea and telling someone you will do it. Ideas must be shared, discussed, argued about, and defended if they have any chance of becoming reality.

This is not a post about failure, it is a call to action for people who have an idea. All of us, who spend our days thinking, planning, evaluating, postulating, and ideating ways to improve our world, need to discuss these thoughts and ideas with everyone we can. If your idea can’t withstand the pressure of conversation, then it certainly won’t be able to withstand reality.

That is why we must discuss ideas deeply and often. The more you bring into the conversation, the more likely it is that one or more will stick and become something worth doing. Only once an idea has been proven to be worth doing should you say that you will do it. This way, you can avoid the social misfortune of being unable to follow through with your plans.

Imagine a world where conversation is not centred around gossip, brands, and weather (unless it’s climate change), but around IDEAS. How we, as individuals and collectives, can improve the world around us everyday.

Talk about your ideas. You’re the only one who has them.