Photo courtesy of akeg
In this special series, we’ll take a brief look at various different fearless inspirations from the past week or so. Whether it’s a fearless young changemaker who is taking risks, a new publication that expresses bold and innovative ideas, or an organization that is promoting change and that is not afraid to fail forward—we want to shine a spotlight on them and their work in the hope that it will spark a new movement to Be Fearless.
As Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation says, “The old way of doing things is simply no longer effective in this new world. It’s time for us all to take risks on new ideas, approaches, and initiatives. It’s time for us to be bold, to act with urgency, and to resist the tendency to let caution be our guide. It’s time for us to Be Fearless.” Will you join us?
5 Tips to Make Failure Matter
I've pulled together five ideas, tips, comments from others to help identify ways in which we all can overcome failure--which is inevitable--and use it to our advantage in the long run. How do you make failure matter? Share with us in the comments section!
1. Accept Credit and Criticism
It is usually easy to take credit for projects that turn out as planned but a little tougher to accept the critical comments that come with failure. How you handle these conversations will build the framework for your next project with the same client. Smile and accept criticism with the same poise you would handle credit.
If a project fails, ask for feedback. Understand what did not work and what can help you develop as a designer and improve your skills for the next project.
Design Shack
2. If You Think You’re the Smartest Person in the Room, You’re the Fool
If you are indeed the smartest person in the room, then you’ve picked the wrong people to work with. If you’re not the smartest person in the room but think you are, then you’re simply (usually disastrously) wrong.
Hire people smarter than you. Work with people smarter than you. Listen to them. Let them lead you. Take the blame for all failures, give away the credit for all successes.
Taylor Davidson
3. Work
“I’m not out there sweating for three hours every day just to find out what it feels like to sweat.”
- Michael Jordan
If success is to be yours, you can rest assured that you’re going to have to work at it. To be the best you have to give your best. You have to work harder than the rest. While people are resting you have to be working. Success is a game, you have to play hard, you have to out-smart the competition, you have to put in the work. Jordan said, “I’ve always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come.”
Pick the Brain
4. If Everybody Agrees, You’re Probably All Wrong
Startups face big decisions in areas of uncertainty. If everyone takes the same decision using the same information then you’re probably not structuring the choices appropriately.
Expose yourself to a more diverse set of opinions and interpretations to re-structure the choices. Differences of opinion are warning signs for decisions; use these warning signals to identify the areas where you need to structure more options in your investment decisions. Since nobody really knows the exact path to success, build flexibility and don’t depend on everything to go right for success.
Taylor Davidson
5. No Matter How Successful You Are, Accept That You Will Fail Again
Failure is good. It will be your guide to smarter, better decisions. The faster you realize that your business will never be perfect and there is no such thing as smooth sailing, you'll grow as a leader as a result.
Inc.