Failure is the foundation of success.
11 February 2013
Read by 2203 persons
In a constantly changing world, where personal fulfillment has become the new holy grail, everyone aspires to build a happy life, both personally and professionally. However, this path is often fraught with pitfalls. Everyone experiences failures in their lives. Why are some very comfortable with their misadventures while others are paralyzed by the thought of failing?
While this fear is more than legitimate, it should not, however, be an obstacle. It is rare for people to always succeed in what they undertake on the first try.
From failure to success
Before presenting some principles of failure management, let's explore the paths of some protagonists.
Let's start with you! Did you know that you fell an average of 2,000 times before you learned to walk? Failure is therefore familiar to you.
Here is the story of a man who:
- Went bankrupt at age 31.
- Was defeated in the legislative elections at age 32.
- Went bankrupt again at age 34.
- Saw his friend die at age 35.
- Had a nervous breakdown at age 36.
- Was defeated in local elections at age 38.
- Was defeated in congressional elections at ages 43, 46, and 48.
- Was defeated in Senate elections at ages 55 and 58.
- Was elected President of the United States at age 60.
Did you recognize him? It's Abraham Lincoln.
Marc Simoncini, founder of Meetic, explained in an interview for LEntreprise.com in 2002: "I only had failures before succeeding [in selling iFrance to the Vivendi group and creating Meetic]".
Tristan Lecomte, founder of Alter Eco, admits: "It took me 4 years to regain the salary I had at L'Oréal. Sometimes, I couldn't even withdraw 15 euros with my credit card. I even had to sell my studio to avoid bankruptcy". In 2010, Time Magazine recognized him as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Claude Oneta, coach of the French Handball team, admitted in 2005: "The failure of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games was our fuel. Since we all suffered from this failure, we made sure it wouldn't happen again". Let's remember that this French sports team was the most awarded (World Champion in 2009 and 2011, Olympic in 2008 and European in 2006 and 2010).
These examples highlight that failures are part of the success process and that what makes the difference is above all how the person perceives failure.
There is no failure, just feedback
After trying 9,999 times to create the electric light bulb, Thomas Edison is interviewed by a journalist who asks him: "Do you foresee a 10,000th failure?" He replied: "I have never failed, I have only discovered a new way not to invent the electric light bulb".
Replace "I failed" with "I learned what doesn't work and I don't intend to repeat it". Explore the reasons for your failure, learn from them, then try something different, because "always more of the same thing produces the same effects". This is what differentiates perseverance from stubbornness.
Failure can be a source of opportunity
Great innovations are often the result of mistakes or failures. This is how penicillin, Teflon, corn flakes, and even Carambar were born.
If you haven't achieved your result, perhaps you've discovered something new.
Freeing oneself from commonly accepted prejudices and stereotypes
As Marc Simoncini likes to point out, "a tip for success: never listen to the advice of others but listen to yourself".
Do you think you need to have gone to a great school to succeed? 33% of entrepreneurs have no diploma.
Fear of failure leads to failure
This is what is called "the Pygmalion effect". If you fear not achieving your goal, you increase the probability of failing.
Learn to put yourself in a positive internal state by building, for example, a mental image of yourself after having succeeded in your project.
But the fear of failure can also be your friend
On the one hand, this fear tells you what you need to do to reduce the risks of failure (better planning, asking for advice on your project...). And, on the other hand, if failures recur, it is very likely that there is a flaw in your personal strategy. All you have to do is find it!
But remember this: failure is often the path that leads to success.
Francis Boyer.
Bien-etre-au-travail.fr
Posted online February 11, 2013.
While this fear is more than legitimate, it should not, however, be an obstacle. It is rare for people to always succeed in what they undertake on the first try.
From failure to success
Before presenting some principles of failure management, let's explore the paths of some protagonists.
Let's start with you! Did you know that you fell an average of 2,000 times before you learned to walk? Failure is therefore familiar to you.
Here is the story of a man who:
- Went bankrupt at age 31.
- Was defeated in the legislative elections at age 32.
- Went bankrupt again at age 34.
- Saw his friend die at age 35.
- Had a nervous breakdown at age 36.
- Was defeated in local elections at age 38.
- Was defeated in congressional elections at ages 43, 46, and 48.
- Was defeated in Senate elections at ages 55 and 58.
- Was elected President of the United States at age 60.
Did you recognize him? It's Abraham Lincoln.
Marc Simoncini, founder of Meetic, explained in an interview for LEntreprise.com in 2002: "I only had failures before succeeding [in selling iFrance to the Vivendi group and creating Meetic]".
Tristan Lecomte, founder of Alter Eco, admits: "It took me 4 years to regain the salary I had at L'Oréal. Sometimes, I couldn't even withdraw 15 euros with my credit card. I even had to sell my studio to avoid bankruptcy". In 2010, Time Magazine recognized him as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.
Claude Oneta, coach of the French Handball team, admitted in 2005: "The failure of the 2004 Athens Olympic Games was our fuel. Since we all suffered from this failure, we made sure it wouldn't happen again". Let's remember that this French sports team was the most awarded (World Champion in 2009 and 2011, Olympic in 2008 and European in 2006 and 2010).
These examples highlight that failures are part of the success process and that what makes the difference is above all how the person perceives failure.
There is no failure, just feedback
After trying 9,999 times to create the electric light bulb, Thomas Edison is interviewed by a journalist who asks him: "Do you foresee a 10,000th failure?" He replied: "I have never failed, I have only discovered a new way not to invent the electric light bulb".
Replace "I failed" with "I learned what doesn't work and I don't intend to repeat it". Explore the reasons for your failure, learn from them, then try something different, because "always more of the same thing produces the same effects". This is what differentiates perseverance from stubbornness.
Failure can be a source of opportunity
Great innovations are often the result of mistakes or failures. This is how penicillin, Teflon, corn flakes, and even Carambar were born.
If you haven't achieved your result, perhaps you've discovered something new.
Freeing oneself from commonly accepted prejudices and stereotypes
As Marc Simoncini likes to point out, "a tip for success: never listen to the advice of others but listen to yourself".
Do you think you need to have gone to a great school to succeed? 33% of entrepreneurs have no diploma.
Fear of failure leads to failure
This is what is called "the Pygmalion effect". If you fear not achieving your goal, you increase the probability of failing.
Learn to put yourself in a positive internal state by building, for example, a mental image of yourself after having succeeded in your project.
But the fear of failure can also be your friend
On the one hand, this fear tells you what you need to do to reduce the risks of failure (better planning, asking for advice on your project...). And, on the other hand, if failures recur, it is very likely that there is a flaw in your personal strategy. All you have to do is find it!
But remember this: failure is often the path that leads to success.
Francis Boyer.
Bien-etre-au-travail.fr
Posted online February 11, 2013.
