What Kind of Failure Are You?
Filed Under (millennials, vision) by Nicole on 17-03-2009
Tags: failure, vision
The first type of failure stems from just not caring. This seems pretty straightforward, but it’s not always what meets the eye. I recently read a blog about how millennials may not succeed because failure is an option, that we’re not forced to be self-sufficient. Is everyone who moves back home really a selfish wreck who prefers a parasitic life to one of independence? Somehow I doubt this. This broad stereotype is hardly the norm, and you’ll find that those who move home generally fall into two categories. This makes all the difference in the world, that between having a purpose as opposed to taking the easy way out.
Even without becoming a parasite as the example described, it’s easy to fall into the trap of the first type of failure on a less extreme level; I see this type as being complacent. Playing it safe all the time or letting the world happen to you instead of going after what you want is failure. It seems strange, but you don’t actually have to fail at anything to do this, in fact, NOT doing something is the real shame. It hardly fits the typical mold of “failure” but wasting our ideas and potential is pretty sad.
On the flip side, I would argue that what we often label openly as “failing” signals just the opposite. Rarely is it easy to look at the positive elements when we fail by going out on a limb with new ideas (that don’t work) or attempt to be self-sufficient (and we find out we need support) but it’s the fact that we tried that matters. Is the attempt itself good enough? No! However, behind most great ideas are many failed attempts. The key is learning from what went wrong the first time so it doesn’t happen again, and absolutely not giving up. Then you build a much stronger foundation going forward, not to mention a clearer vision of what you need to do in order to find success.
Go ahead, fail miserably. Just make sure you fail forward with a purpose. Instead of falling into complacency, take something of value away from every negative situation (especially if you got yourself there) and it will make you wiser next time around.
There was a great quote regarding failure that I heard while watching an interview of Craig Ferguson (the host of the Late Late Show) while he discussed why he wanted to come to America. He became fascinated with America, he said, because in America unlike anywhere else in the world it is ok to fail. He said that almost everywhere else in the world when people fail, they are never again given a chance.
In America; however, the beauty was that you could fail, and no one would care or ostracize you because of your failure. In fact it was expected that eventually you would fail. He thought that was quite unique. So I think your post is very poignant because too often people are afraid to take those risks without realizing how lucky we are to live in a place where failure is actually acceptable.
Nicole,
I read through several of your posts and think you are a wonderful writer, not to mention a great thinker. Keep it up! I’m guessing you have wonderful things coming to you for the efforts you’re putting in.
Adam
Hi, cool post. I have been wondering about this topic,so thanks for writing.