Work really hard and just don’t fail

This ‘fail’ word has come up on my radar quite a few times in my career. I think the first time was in college. I had a really tough time figuring out what I wanted to do and be. I went to Butler University because I was accepted in to the pharmacy program. (stop laughing) I seriously thought I wanted to be a pharmacist. Sixteen years later, or however long it’s been, I’m very glad my dad kept saying “I’m not sure pharmacy is your thing” until I finally read between the lines.

Next up came my boss while working at Charles Schwab. He asked me “What would you do if you knew you wouldn’t fail” and I kept thinking, well, I would have my own business. I don’t think he was thinking that would be my reaction, but it was, so off I went. That was over nine years ago.

Today, however, in regular conversation I’m hearing more things like ‘I’m just playing it safe’ or ‘I’m just trying to work not to fail’. Well, we all may be doing the actions that help us maintain in tough times, but this mindset is also going to keep you there.

I read the Harvard Business Review blog and listen to their podcasts, but found this recent article thanks to @zoomkennedy on Twitter about ‘Why you need to fail’ and some guidelines to set for yourself to make yourself a higher performer. It’s the type of view I like to take on failure. Here is my favorite paragraph if you’re looking for the cliff notes:

Want to increase your own performance? Set high goals where you have a 50-70% chance of success. According to Psychologist and Harvard researcher the late David McClelland, that’s the sweet spot for high achievers. Then, when you fail half the time, figure out what you should do differently and try again. That’s practice. And according to recent studies, 10,000 hours of that kind of practice will make you an expert in anything. No matter where you start.

So don’t walk on eggshells all day. Don’t do things that keep your life or business safe. Push yourself, and fail, and in that failure you’ll find success.