Pick a business you would not mind failing at

Posted by Richman on July 16, 2007 7:57 AM PDT

Recommend this? YES NO

The best way to do this is follow these two rules. Imagine you were to work on this full time for over a year. Would it still be worth it? Now imagine if it would be a big pain in the butt. Is it still worth it? If you answered yes to these two questions, then you will always have the drive to see it through, and you will learn something no matter what.

I find this effective because if you don’t mind failing, then it will completely be worth the journey.

Add To:

If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter and we'll keep you updated with fresh new content.

2 Comments

Are you talking about starting a business or are you talking about your next job? I have failed at a business in the past and the lessons I learned made the extremely difficult and awful process worth it however, I certainly didn't start the business because I decided I wouldn't mind failing at it. I no longer see what happened as a failure, since I now see, how unhappy the business was actually making me. Even with what I learned from my last business...I DO MIND thinking about failing at my new business. Am I continuing to grow in my new business and do what I love...I know failure would be crushing, devastating and real a heart break. With that knowledge, I proceed in pursuing my business and my dream because SUCCESS and achieving your dreams doesn't happen unless you embark on the journey and take the risks.

Posted by Ann B on July 21, 2007 12:42 PM PDT

Thanks for your comment Ann. I agree that you want to have so much passion and drive that you cannot see anything except total success. That's the idea for when you are already in it. But my tip is for when you are contemplating actually starting the business or not. I believe that if it's a business you would be okay with failing at, then you know the learning will be worth it. You will also know that you are not so attached to the outcome that you cannot see the facts clearly. Detachment allows you to be flexible to make the right decisions. It's funny how it works that way. That's also similar to dating. If you're really attached to finding someone, you often don't. Yet if you're just enjoying life you find the right person.

I think it's best to treat everything as a game in that there are certain rules in life and you have a certain outcome, or intention in mind (even if you're not aware of it). If you can have fun regardless of the outcome, then it is well worth the journey. Think of if you played a sport and thought your whole life was dependent on winning those games. Would it really be worth thinking that your own personal worth is attached to that win? Or would it be better to enjoy every single moment of it, with no regrets?