Comments on: Do you agree? Freedom to Fail vital for Success

By: Andi

Andi — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 21:54:05 +0000

I think that we will have small failures on our way to having any kind of big success.

By: Jeremy B

Jeremy B — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 21:58:44 +0000

We called this the PowerPoint principle: In order to make something really great, you must be free to make something really terrible.

By: Amit Roy

Amit Roy — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 21:55:25 +0000

Absolutely True. It may make sense to add here that the game should not be at the level of being successful or failure, it needs to be played at a level where one can play fully i.e. without worrying if it is going to be a success or not, then it is complete action which is much more important than being a success or failure. It does not bother about any external reward

By: Jennifer Brentano

Jennifer Brentano — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 22:56:36 +0000

Definitely because so many times we learn more from our failures than successes. Imagine all of the lessons that we wouldn’t have the opportunity to embrace if we succeeded every time! I am grateful for my failures - all increbile lessons for growth and expansion!

By: Sabine

Sabine — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 23:57:53 +0000

Agreed. There is an ongoing argument in pedagogy that argues that playing is learning through experiment (failure produces knowledge of what worked and what did not, and the play allows redemption (a repeat of the game/lesson)–zone of proximal development or not.

This is not the system offered by the current school-based learning: failure is a final grade with no chance of redemption. It’s a black mark on the card, little chance to learn what or why the lesson was not learned, & the learner has no chance to try again to learn and succeed.

Even the systems that allow schools for students to repeat a year present the option as one for “failing students” and repeating students are perceived as such by the system.

The business world however does allow failure with chance of redemption. In the spirit world, freedom to fail would be a great concept if we could remember our past lives to best the next.

By: Soren

Soren — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:59:17 +0000

Agreed with everyone’s great views! Actually I sort of think that one needs to both “fail miserably” to know what it’s like, just like one needs to succeed at realizing a dream or two. What both teach is among other things that neither experience is as important as what you bring to what’s in-between.

By: Jussi K

Jussi K — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 21:59:59 +0000

absolutely!! Understanding/analyzing even respecting the VALUE of failure is THE most important factor in SUCCESS. The worst is when failure is personalized - as in education (grading by mistakes) historically takes place

By: Clint

Clint — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:01:59 +0000

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. It is interesting to think of “failure” especially in terms of formal education. I appreciated recently when someone emphasized to me again that instead of thinking of anything as a failure, he looked at it as feedback.

Here’s another semi-related quote: “Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.” -Robert F. Kennedy

By: Clint

Clint — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 22:18:07 +0000

Just got sent this one too:

“The greatest mistake one can make is to be afraid of making one.”

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 03:34:09 +0000

If we limit the depths to which people can fall, we’re at the same time limiting how high they can leap.

By: Fernando

Fernando — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 12:34:53 +0000

Yes, I agree. Question, though…who/what is governing our freedom to fail? Our parents/family, government, etc.? Parents tend to be naturally inclined to let us not fail completely–some parents go overboard and don’t ever let their kids fail.

Failure is a part of life. We all make mistakes, but we all can learn from them. If you don’t experiences failures as a child, when you become an adult, it’ll be a tough transition because the real world is a lot more vicious and not going to take care of you.

By: Fernando

Fernando — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 12:35:53 +0000

I forgot to mention, that I don’t want government limiting the extent with which we fail. I’m opposed to the “too big to fail” mentality.

By: Sylvia

Sylvia — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 16:30:36 +0000

Absolutely. See Peter Bregman’s thoughts on the subject at http://tinyurl.com/23u5m48.

By: Cheryl

Cheryl — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:19:03 +0000

We are all learners not failures. If we didn’t try or fail, we would never try something again. To succeed means to accomplish it.Everyone has different areas they have succeeded in!

By: Ananda

Ananda — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 23:19:02 +0000

Yes! I work in “corporate” - progressive corporations know (and MBA schools teach) that allowance for failure is essential for innovation of every kind. In practice, it doesn’t always play out ideally, but we’re beginning to grasp the concept, anyway.