Résumé of Failures
Failures are just as important as successes.
I came across the idea of the résumé of failures for the first time when I read I Wish I Knew When I Was 20 by Tina Seelig. The book is a decade old, but still relevant these days.
The idea and its effects intrigued me to dig more on the topic. Then, I’ve found that one CV of failures of the Princeton University professor that went viral in 2017. He personally shared his certain CV with his students formerly, later decided to publish it to the public, and that ‘darn CV’ has received way more attention than his entire academic works.
Below is his full CV of failures, in which I find it entertaining, yet inspiring.
Then I went onto Melanie Stefan, the professor who actually brought up the idea of CV of failures in her publication that inspired Haushofer to write his own. She explained how efforts are easily neglected.
My CV does not reflect the bulk of my academic efforts — it does not mention the exams I failed, my unsuccessful PhD or fellowship applications, or the papers never accepted for publication. At conferences, I talk about the one project that worked, not about the many that failed.
At this point I guess this idea is no stranger among academia professionals, considering that I mostly found the related readings by esteemed professors.
How about people who don’t relate to research-focused professions?
The thing is, anyone can relate to failures. Because if I’m thriving, chances are I must have already failed or will likely to fail at one point (or many points). It’s a kind of universal virtue.
Anyway, as Tina Seelig has mentioned in her book that failures, both personally and professionally, are inevitable. Interestingly, they become valuable data on what works and what does not. Get ready to take a new challenge with more useful information.
Certainly, I was tempted to write my own version of a CV of failures. Right now that I’m writing this article, I’m having a hard time trying to revive my memory of all the efforts I’ve put in my personal and professional journey. (geez, I should have jotted them down literally, so that I wouldn’t have to trace back my twitter gibberish that has been a makeshift diary for a decade)
I think I’m halfway through it and I already feel like ‘dang I did a lot’. And that’s expected because I wouldn’t possibly do it right every time I try to do something. An inconvenient truth. Though not every item on my list plays a major part of pushing me forward, most of them do. Hopefully, I can share it in the next article related to this topic.
Why you should also try this brilliant idea.
Keeping a visible record of your rejected endeavors can help others to deal with setbacks.
In a world applauding achievements, failures are left untold. But what I have been through, what makes me where I am today, all of these matter. Either I fail more than succeed, or the other way around, means that I worked, I persevered. More importantly, it means that I am able to bounce back from the pit of being rejected. The evidence of failures also conveys the message that what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, my favorite quote of all time. When I come to terms with my failures, I embrace them fully, I can proudly share them with others. In a way, it gives off a sense of ‘living’. Not everything goes as I wish, but I keep going (trying) anyway.
Failures are often invisible while the successes are visible.
It’s natural that I would want to be known by my successes, the destinations. Personally, I prefer to cherish the perseverance and determination, the journeys. When I fail, it doesn’t always mean that I put less effort than the case when I succeed. I don’t downplay my failures, I appreciate my self-discipline and determination. I realize I’m never reluctant to share my failures if asked. I treat them like ones of the milestones, albeit the tough ones. They might have almost tripped me to death, but they coach me to be more careful in pursuing my next endeavor.
There are many other factors that contributed to your failure or success.
By keeping the list, I find myself baffled at why the heck I didn’t achieve what I was likely to but miraculously did accomplish the other mission impossible. Well, truth is there are way too many unexpected and subjective factors; supervisors, professors, clients, competitors, sponsors, any other judges. They are not rulers, sometimes there are personal judgments and emotions involved. To attribute the failure wholly to myself (my competency) is overly negative and presumed. My failure doesn’t define me as a failure. The world, more often than not, revolves around chances and coincidences. Even though things happen for a reason, sometimes that reason is out of my control.
It’s not (yet) recommended to share the CV of failures to HR personnel when finding a job. But wouldn’t it be refreshing and eye-opening with the sincerity and the evidence of all hard works being revealed at the first few encounters?
The typical CV and CV of failures, both represent past endeavors in one way or another.
