Don't be afraid to fail
By Adam
November 20, 2009
Small Business & Entrepreneurship
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You've failed many times, although you may not remember.
You fell down the first time you tried to walk.
You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim, didn't you?
Did you hit the ball the first time you swung a bat?
Heavy hitters, the ones who hit the most home runs, also strike out a lot.
R. H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York caught on.
English novelist John Creasey got 753 rejection slips before he published 564 books.
Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times, but he also hit 714 home runs.
Don't worry about failure.
Worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try.
-- As published in the Wall Street Journal
by United Technologies Corp, 1981
At some level, if we’re honest with ourselves, we’re all afraid to fail. Failure can be stressful, painful, embarrassing. But if there’s one common theme I hear from those at the top, it’s how success could have never been achieved without failures along the way.
“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”
-- Henry Ford
So if you’re toying with starting a business, don’t look at the current economic downturn as a deterrent or excuse or reason to be afraid of failure. Instead, think of it as a golden opportunity. Because that’s what today’s successful entrepreneurs did when everyone told them how crazy their idea was, when naysayers told them “now is not the time.”
“I left a great job and pension with the RCMP to run a pizza restaurant. There are just times when entrepreneurs have to roll the dice to be successful.”
-- Jim Treliving, Chairman, Boston Pizza
And if you think you need more than just a pep talk, here are some real-world reasons why getting started is a great idea right now:
1. Reduced costs. The recession has kept pricing down on practically everything – from land and equipment to loans and office space and labour. Some of the best deals are out there right now.
2. Cooperative wheeling and dealing. The near-death of many businesses has created an incentive to play fair with partners and suppliers. Now’s the time to hatch some great deals.
3. Takeovers. Why start from scratch if someone’s done a lot of the heavy lifting for you? Some business owners want out any cost, so think of acquiring an entire business – along with property, leases, equipment and personnel – and run it more successfully in the growth period ahead.
“The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity.” -- Peter Drucker
What startup stories inspire you?
You fell down the first time you tried to walk.
You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim, didn't you?
Did you hit the ball the first time you swung a bat?
Heavy hitters, the ones who hit the most home runs, also strike out a lot.
R. H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York caught on.
English novelist John Creasey got 753 rejection slips before he published 564 books.
Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times, but he also hit 714 home runs.
Don't worry about failure.
Worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try.
-- As published in the Wall Street Journal
by United Technologies Corp, 1981
At some level, if we’re honest with ourselves, we’re all afraid to fail. Failure can be stressful, painful, embarrassing. But if there’s one common theme I hear from those at the top, it’s how success could have never been achieved without failures along the way.
“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”
-- Henry Ford
Jim Treliving, Chairman and owner of Boston Pizza International Inc.
So if you’re toying with starting a business, don’t look at the current economic downturn as a deterrent or excuse or reason to be afraid of failure. Instead, think of it as a golden opportunity. Because that’s what today’s successful entrepreneurs did when everyone told them how crazy their idea was, when naysayers told them “now is not the time.”
“I left a great job and pension with the RCMP to run a pizza restaurant. There are just times when entrepreneurs have to roll the dice to be successful.”
-- Jim Treliving, Chairman, Boston Pizza
And if you think you need more than just a pep talk, here are some real-world reasons why getting started is a great idea right now:
1. Reduced costs. The recession has kept pricing down on practically everything – from land and equipment to loans and office space and labour. Some of the best deals are out there right now.
2. Cooperative wheeling and dealing. The near-death of many businesses has created an incentive to play fair with partners and suppliers. Now’s the time to hatch some great deals.
3. Takeovers. Why start from scratch if someone’s done a lot of the heavy lifting for you? Some business owners want out any cost, so think of acquiring an entire business – along with property, leases, equipment and personnel – and run it more successfully in the growth period ahead.
“The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity.” -- Peter Drucker
What startup stories inspire you?