Fail in order to Increase Your Success

Teams that dread making mistakes in the long run generate average performance and produce mediocre results. Why don't they try to strive for the unknown instead of playing it safe and getting rewarded for it? How do you handle it when they don't achieve the desired results?

Establish a consistent process for setting achievable goals and ambitious objectives on a weekly basis to motivate your team to exceed expectations. A reward system that acknowledges both successful goals and attempts to reach goals that were not met will inspire your team to go beyond the expected and reach impressive results.

Think of Failure as a Beginning 

Failure is an unavoidable part of life, like death and taxes, and it's not always a pleasant experience. Every failure opens up new roads and gives new insights. Don't dwell on the failure. Pay attention to the information that came with it and the new opportunities it presents. 

Look back at 5 past failures: what wisdom did you gain from them, and would you be in your present position without them? You have probably learned more from failure than from any other source of knowledge. Don't fear failure. Learn from it and use it as data to lead you in the right direction.

Be Aware of Hidden Incentives

It's often said that “What gets measured gets done,” but this is only part of the picture. Essentially, what is measured and rewarded is accomplished. There are two kinds of hidden incentives that lead to failure.

The first is financial, and involves salaries, bonus payments, and stock cost. It goes without saying that businesses don't give out bonuses for not succeeding. On the other hand, there are other sorts of financial disincentives. For example, it would be pointless to declare a company's intention to be "digital first" while the executive team's compensation depends on non-digital routes.

The second hidden incentive is psychological, and it is related to security and status. Neurologically speaking, we are all primitive beings with a need to keep and increase our standing in the group. This makes evolutionary sense: expulsion from the tribe has always posed a significant threat to any individual in human history. The way our brains are wired, however, means that we have not yet accepted that, in most cases, the world does not work this way. 

As a result, much of the behavior seen in the workplace is driven by the need to preserve one's status and safety. Therefore, we fear change and failing. Hiding our failures is why the hidden evidence issue exists. We favor those who have achieved success, which accounts for the tribe's improved standing. 

Accepting failure opposes our most basic self-protection and the basis upon which most organisations reward their staff’s performance. This alone makes it a rather hard task. What to do? Start by being honest with yourself and those around you.

Carefully examine all the evidence, both overt and covert. Experiencing failure is uncomfortable, but it is also necessary. It is always beneficial to think of ways to reduce its effect ahead of time.

Draw Success from Failure

Although not everyone fails at work, most people acknowledge that failure is a natural outcome of attempting something new.

It's possible to fail, whether it's in the classroom, boardroom, or even in a family discussion in your house. 

Whereas destroying a batch of cookies isn't the same as destroying a batch of vaccine doses, our response options are similar. We have the option to either learn from our errors, accuse others, or gain strength from our team.

Freedom lies behind failure

Like a baby learning to walk, you will find the success you crave if you can deal with the stumbles and falls that come with it. Without risk, there is no progress. However, taking risks can leave you vulnerable. Fear will come and people will think you're crazy if you follow through.

Failure is part of the journey to success, and by learning from each mistake, you can bring your dreams to life. Don't let yourself down by living with regrets and unkept promises.

You have the potential to succeed if you accept you will fail now and then. I can guarantee you that the joy and freedom you seek are hiding behind fear and failure.

What challenges are you shying away from today due to fear of failure? Ready yourself and eager to succeed.

Failure as a lesson and a challenge

Every failure teaches you something. One of the most talented and beloved painter of all times, Bob Ross, frequently stated, “We don’t make mistakes. We just have happy accidents.” In one episode devoted entirely to happy accidents, he said, “Anything you do, you can learn to use.”

You may not agree with Bob Ross’s outlook on life, but your failures can be used for good. You can gain knowledge from them and use it in the future. It can take a while, but even mistakes can turn into happy accidents.

If you view challenges as chances to learn instead of threats of failure, you will conquer your fear of failure.

Don't look at potential failures as something to dread, instead, view them as challenges. This will give you a positive and pro-active attitude as you work toward your goals. 

Rather than worrying, “Will people like this video?” tell yourself, “I'll practice until I'm satisfied with my performance.”

If you're anxious that the launch of a new product won't go as expected, think of it as an opportunity to make the best product possible, with the debut as the first of many stages. And remember that trying to be perfect can disable, which can impede your personal and professional progress.

Cut Yourself Some Slack

Don't forget that we are just human. When you feel overwhelmed by the fear of failure, take a break from your work and take some time to breathe. Leave yourself some wiggle room.

Give yourself permission to make mistakes. Remind yourself, “It’s alright to make mistakes.” You have a lot on your plate, and it’s okay if you’re not perfect all the time. As with all things, you will experience some bumps in the road. The way we deal with our failings can often shape our identity. Don’t be hard on yourself, and don’t punish yourself either.

Spend a moment considering how you got to this point, and then begin learning. Reflect on the successes you have had in the past. Make a list of your accomplishments and keep it somewhere you can see it throughout the day.

Don't forget to recognize your successes and share them with your friends and family as you race towards your ambitions and make your life aspirations a reality. 

Put your fear of failure to the side and take your business to greater heights by being your own biggest fan.