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July 06, 2004
Don't Fear Failure
Rob at BusinessPundit suggested a post at The Occupational Adventure about failure. It is worth a look. Failure, or the fear of failure, is what has kept many a potential entrepreneur on the sidelines. Failure is something we all have learned from along the way if we let ourselves take some risks. It reminds me of the first time I really got tackled hard in Junior High football. I was really afraid of how it would feel, and although it really did hurt (the guy was the star line backer of the eighth grade team), I learned from it (stay away from his side the rest of the game and go out for cross country next fall).
We can all learn from our own failures. That is an important part of entrepreneurial learning. We can also learn from the failures and mistakes of others (I picked that up and a young age being the youngest of four boys--thanks for all the lessons on what not to do Tom, Scot and Steve). Some of my best lectures center around mistakes and failures I had in business and how I tried to learn from them going forward.
Posted July 6, 2004 07:00 AM
Comments
I've often tried to live by the little quote: "Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react." I think this quote relates to the failure article because often times failure is not the problem. Growing up playing sports taught me how to "lose." It doesn't always have to be an an actual game. Every pitch in softball, or every posession in basketball holds the risk of failure. Does that mean you don't play? Heck no!!
I relate this to entrepreneurship b/c the risk of failure is only a challenge...a challenge to "win." I can't imagine living my life in fear of failure. Rather admitted or not, most of us fail at something on a regular basis. This is only normal. What separates our failures? How we react! The article states, and I agree, that failure defines who we are. It shows up opportunities we would have never seen, and it allows us to learn from our mistakes. (The only real way to learn anything.)
Hopeful entrepreneurs can't let the fear of failure stand in their way. It's only an obstacle, not a block wall!
Posted by: Raven Teeples at July 7, 2004 01:36 PM
In my opinion, everybody is afraid of failure deep down. That's just human nature. It is the matter how you react while facing the failure.
Like every solider wants to be a captain which is human nature, we want to be good; we want to be acknowledged; and we want to success. The entrepreneurs do the same. Otherwise why should they start their business?
However, failure is definitely an obstacle towards success. Everybody should fear failure for certain points. Because fear failure, you try to prepare better even for the worst to get to success; because fear failure, you try to gather more resources and information, plan concisely and comprehensively to eliminate the possibility of failure; because fear failure, you try to learn from your mistake and not fail again for the same reason. Someone said that only the foolish people will repeat the same mistake again and again.
If you fear failure, just let it be. That is human nature. Do not be panic about that. To the best, hopefully, the fear of failure will expedite or facilitate towards success. To the worst, do not let the fear of failure get over you. Just do it!
Posted by: Wendy Gao at July 8, 2004 02:51 PM
at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. He consults with a variety of businesses on start-up and growth related issues, and with larger corporations on re-establishing entrepreneurial cultures within their organizations. Dr. Cornwall's current research interests include entrepreneurial finance and entrepreneurial ethics. He has authored or co-authored four books.
