Blog

I Can’t Wait to Fail…Again

No, I’m not crazy. At least I don’t think I am. But I do know this…when I fail I do a hell of a lot of learning. It’s not that I look forward to things going poorly or letting down my various customer groups. But the reality is sometimes I fail. Sometimes we all fail. So I’ve decided that I need to stop worrying about it, and start embracing the learning that follows. Here’s the catch, the only way you can take something positive from failure is if you admit that you’ve failed. If you’re one of those leaders who is constantly making excuses for why things didn’t work out I need to tell you something…

You’re the problem, not the people, or systems, or circumstances. It’s you.

Get In The Game

Let’s be honest. Failure is no fun. It can be embarrassing, raise concerns about competence, and in extreme cases put one’s job at risk. But the truth is we fail all the time. Think about how many ideas you’ve had over the last year. Did every strategy work out perfectly? Did you achieve every earnings goal, turnover rate, hiring target, expense reduction plans, or sales quota? Of course not.
Here’s how I look at failure. I tried something. I took action. I moved out of my comfort zone and went for it. Standing still out of fear means the rest of the world just roared by and you missed countless opportunities to contribute. Don’t be that person. Be the one that steps into the fast lane and holds on for dear life. It’s what leaders do.

How About You 
Don’t settle, don’t get comfortable, and for crying out loud don’t let 2011 end without you having failed at something. No one is that good.

I’d love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

pic courtesy of yourfreegraphics