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As someone who has failed spectacularly in my previous startups, I can say with authority that failure sucks. There is nothing inspiring about failure (by itse

As someone who has failed spectacularly in my previous startups, I can say with authority that failure sucks. There is nothing inspiring about failure (by itself). However, I think what is inspiring is how entrepreneurs who have failed managed to get themselves off the floor and eventually achieve success. And I do agree we don't talk enough about recovery from failures.

kingkongrevenge 19y ago
I suppose "inspiring" isn't the right word, but I think a better understanding of what failure looks like and its statistical frequency is important. Behavioral psychology says most people are far more motivated by fear than by greed. I suspect the unknown is worse than what really happens in failure. Well, except for John Fitch; he blew his brains out.
- dennykmiu 19y ago
  I agree 100%. Most entrepreneurs that I know are definitely driven by fear ... fear of letting themselves down, fear of being accused of misleading their team members so they better make this one work, fear of not delivering a working product to their alpha customer who has placed a PO and who happens to be their friend, fear of not returning reasonable upside to their VC's so their reputation might be ruined irreversibly in the valley. And most importantly of all, fear of going home facing their spouse and having to explain (again). Fear is definitely much more immediate than greed (money).
NSX2 19y ago
I would say there is one good thing about failure. To paraphrase an observation I've heard about why wrestling is one of the better sports to take up in high school: it teaches you to fight with all you have off of your back when you're literally inches away from defeat and get back up again and again and again as many times as it takes, and that's important because if there's one thing life is good at it's knocking you on your back. So I would say this: between you and some "I've always had easy successes" entrepreneur in Silicon Valley who's had the benefit of every possible advantage, who do you think learned to conserve energey, restart, take it step by step, stick to simple plans one day at time, shake off the blues, etc. - you, or pretty boy success story? Now who do you think will keep pushing in the economic funk we'll be experiencing for the next 4-6 years and who do you think will be in shock and quit when they realize that things have suddenly gotten much, much harder? I'd say your failures have taught you how to function and continue despite setbacks. That is valuable because failures are inevitable. If your "failure overcoming muscle" has atrophied due to experiencing nothing but success, it's going to be very tough times ahead. If you can deal with failure and keep going, then that means you've proven you have a strong mind - strong enough not to be shaken, strong enough to pick yourself up and keep going despite no constant positive feedback. If I was a VC, I'd probably invest in you more than somebody who had 3 successes during an economic boom.

kingkongrevenge 19y ago

I suppose "inspiring" isn't the right word, but I think a better understanding of what failure looks like and its statistical frequency is important. Behavioral psychology says most people are far more motivated by fear than by greed. I suspect the unknown is worse than what really happens in failure. Well, except for John Fitch; he blew his brains out.

dennykmiu 19y ago
I agree 100%. Most entrepreneurs that I know are definitely driven by fear ... fear of letting themselves down, fear of being accused of misleading their team members so they better make this one work, fear of not delivering a working product to their alpha customer who has placed a PO and who happens to be their friend, fear of not returning reasonable upside to their VC's so their reputation might be ruined irreversibly in the valley. And most importantly of all, fear of going home facing their spouse and having to explain (again). Fear is definitely much more immediate than greed (money).

NSX2 19y ago

I would say there is one good thing about failure. To paraphrase an observation I've heard about why wrestling is one of the better sports to take up in high school: it teaches you to fight with all you have off of your back when you're literally inches away from defeat and get back up again and again and again as many times as it takes, and that's important because if there's one thing life is good at it's knocking you on your back. So I would say this: between you and some "I've always had easy successes" entrepreneur in Silicon Valley who's had the benefit of every possible advantage, who do you think learned to conserve energey, restart, take it step by step, stick to simple plans one day at time, shake off the blues, etc. - you, or pretty boy success story? Now who do you think will keep pushing in the economic funk we'll be experiencing for the next 4-6 years and who do you think will be in shock and quit when they realize that things have suddenly gotten much, much harder? I'd say your failures have taught you how to function and continue despite setbacks. That is valuable because failures are inevitable. If your "failure overcoming muscle" has atrophied due to experiencing nothing but success, it's going to be very tough times ahead. If you can deal with failure and keep going, then that means you've proven you have a strong mind - strong enough not to be shaken, strong enough to pick yourself up and keep going despite no constant positive feedback. If I was a VC, I'd probably invest in you more than somebody who had 3 successes during an economic boom.