Four Easy Steps to Embracing Failure
Using failure to uncover the secret to successful innovation
We’ve all heard Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote, “if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail”. But what happens when you intentionally make failure a part of the plan? What if we accept failure as a necessary side effect of trying something new? We just may find that embracing failure is the secret to success after all.
Expect to Fail
Failure is far less traumatic when we recognize from the get-go that it is an expected step in the innovation process. Some ideas will be bad ideas, some concepts will not work, and sometimes things will go terribly, terribly wrong. Understanding (and acknowledging) that failure is not only accepted, but expected, gives us the freedom to explore new avenues without fear that failure will be a negative reflection of our abilities. A willingness to experiment, fail, and try again is crucial when encouraging innovation. Assembly line efficiency does not breed creativity or innovation.
“If failure is not an option, neither is success. Innovation is just repeated failure until you come up with something that works.”
- Seth Godin
Remove Emotions
It’s human nature to become attached to our own ideas. Separating the person from the idea is crucial when objectively evaluating a solution. Too often we spend time, energy, and resources on a solution we don’t believe in because it was suggested by higher-ups, or because we have become attached to the idea ourselves and are determined to see it through no matter what. When evaluating a solution its crucial to take a step back and evaluate only on the basis of the solution itself; if your solution fails, it is even more essential that we do not take that failure as a marker of our own abilities.
“Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.”
- Richard Branson
Have an Escape Plan
Sometimes we fail simply because we have a bad idea.
Sometimes a good idea is executed poorly.
Knowing the difference is essential to knowing when it’s time to pivot or if it’s time to scrap an idea and start over. When failure is an expected part of the process we go into each venture knowing which outcome we need to proceed, which outcome will take us back a few steps to rethink our process, and which outcome will send us back to the drawing board to begin again. This can save us valuable time and resources as we come to terms with letting go of a sinking ship instead of wasting time, energy and money trying to bail it out.
“In any case, you must not confuse a single failure with a final defeat.“
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
Fail Forward
When failure is expected and accepted as a byproduct of learning and experimentation, there is no stigma associated with it. This makes it easier to face our failures head on and turn them into opportunities. When we fear failure, we often try to hide it from others, especially our superiors, in an attempt to avoid judgement or other negative repercussions. Instead of hiding our failures, we should take the opportunity to get guidance and mentorship from experts around us, bring on new collaborators, and create new and meaningful connections with colleagues and superiors.
“When looking to innovate — fail forward. Innovation can be a chaotic process, embrace it and learn from your failures.“
- Luke Wester
Failure doesn’t have to be the end of the road. The true marker of success is the ability to adjust and rebuild after a setback paired with the drive to continue to work, set new goals, and better yourself towards achieving your dreams.
So what happens when we plan to fail? We create a favorable environment for meaningful innovation.
@ MAT Studios we help the largest organizations and brands in the world become smaller and less complicated by asking and answering the right questions. This article was written by Lih-Sia Byam :)
