The secret sauce to a successful life & business: failure
I hope you’re a failure. Says nobody… generally. But stay with me.
Failure sucks. But what sucks even more is indecision and regret in thinking “what if”.
A promise I’ve made to myself since passing the threshold of the first year in business back in 2019 was to avoid any situation where I could possibly look back and think what if…
A year of analysis paralysis
In my first year of business I was so consumed by the idea of “making it” or to avoid failure to save face with friends & family that I played it safe. Like two condoms kinda safe.
Ultimately looking back at that time we missed so many opportunities, collaborations and contracts because we refused to deviate from the initial path we had set out on in hopes to avoid any hiccups or failures.
And not only did we miss out on the above, but we missed out on some major growth and revenue, had we just taken a chance.
The “F” word
You see the way we viewed the “F” word at the time was totally wrong. We thought it was this negative attribute that would tarnish the name of our business. Instead it just set us back a year in time and an unknown amount of time in the business realm.
The Failure paradox
However in terms of failure, this was our first failure in failing to fail but wound up failing — I’m dizzy from writing that.
All this to say that we failed forward from this EXACT failure of not wanting to fail.
My failure resume
On paper, I’m a total failure.
To date I’ve failed at:
- Graduating high school on time
- Graduating University
- A network marketing business
- Running my first start-up
- Being a good leader
- Avoiding debt
- Listening to my gut
- Being approved for my dream home
And the list goes on and on…
“Fall seven times, stand up eight.” — Japanese Proverb
Failing forward
I’ve tried SO many tactics and strategies within my business now that I’ve lost count. I’ve worked with and collaborated with so many cool humans, too! And some (a lot) of these ventures have failed.
However, through this failure I’ve gained knowledge about me as a person and business owner, as well as guidance on what’s needed to move forward in my business.
I continually fail forward in my business.
Does it sting at times? Heck YA! But would I change a thing? Heck NO!
Failing forward has allowed me to choose new paths that I didn’t even imagine, and has forced me to pivot when I didn’t want to, but needed to.
Failing forward means that I’m continually moving the needle forward and pushing the envelop. I’m breaking down barriers and trying something new. Even if it totally falls apart like that perfect taco just before you go in for a bite! (SO annoying!)
Overall because of failure, I have to thank it for helping me acheieve the levels of success I had only dreamed of, and my hope if that you do too!
Let me know in the comments what you’ve been failing forward from lately!
