Failing Forward

Pushing past failure is a key to success in life. In 2007 a book appeared based on that belief titled, Failing Forward. Its thesis? That the difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure.

Take the job search. You will fail 99 percent of the time. You’ll be ignored or told to apply online for the overwhelming percentage of attempts, but remember, a job search is a unique sales campaign. You only need one ‘yes.’ To be totally successful, you don’t need to be successful for but a tiny fraction of your attempts. 

Expect to fail and you won’t be disappointed, and failure will keep you at the task until you get the breaks you need.

History is generous with examples:

• Colonel Sanders of KFC fame got 109 rejections before someone said yes to his idea.
• J.K. Rowling experienced 12 rejections of Harry Potter before a small publisher took a chance on it. 
• Walt Disney was turned down by 403 banks before he found financing to make a mouse-themed park. 
• Theodore Geisel’s first book was rejected by 23 publishers, but his Dr. Seuss books went on to sell 6 million copies. 
• In 1985 Steve Jobs was unceremoniously ousted from Apple computer. Twelve years later he was asked to return, and today he is known as the father of the digital revolution.

Oprah, Henry Ford, Eminem, Thomas Edison, Michael Jordan, Bill Gates and dozens of others demonstrate it is possible to dust off the “failures” and creatively move forward.

I think creativity demands the ability to be unafraid of failure. One of the best ways to move on is to realize that nothing of value is accomplished without setbacks. Instead of viewing rejection as failure, see it as a necessary step, taking you closer to achieving your ultimate goal. Eldwin Pond says, “An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail.”

Why is that so crucial? Because creativity equals failure. You may be surprised to hear such a statement, but it’s true. Charles Frankel asserts that “anxiety is the essential condition of intellectual and artistic creation.” Let that sink in.

Young careerists, in particular, should repeat the mantra, Fail early, fail often, fail cheap.

Creativity requires a willingness to look stupid. It means getting out on a limb – knowing that the limb often breaks! Creative people know these things and still keep searching for new ideas. They just don’t let the ideas that don’t work prevent them from coming up with more ideas that do work. 

Assume you will fail. Repeatedly. You will learn more by making mistakes than you will by doing nothing. Fail forward and succeed.

Peter Spellman, MEd, is a career transition specialist helping people discover their next calling through inspiring online courses and coaching. Find him at Nextcalling.org.