I Failed. You Will Too.
Let me tell you something, and I mean this with all the kindness I can muster: you’re gonna fail. Yeah, you. And me. And that guy over there. We’re all gonna fail. I should know. I’ve failed more times than I’ve had hot dinners. Remember that startup I told you about last Tuesday? The one I was so sure was gonna change the world? Yeah, that one. Dead in the water. Buried six feet under by a combination of my own stupidity and the sheer indifference of the market.
But here’s the thing: failure isn’t the enemy. Complacency is. And the first step to avoiding complacency is admitting that most of what you think you know about startup success is probably wrong.
Why You’re Wrong About ‘Passion’
Look, I get it. We’ve all heard the speeches. ‘Follow your passion!’ ‘Do what you love!’ Blah blah blah. I’m gonna let you in on a little secret: passion is overrated. I mean, sure, it’s nice to have. But it’s not the be-all and end-all. You know who told me this? A guy named Marcus. Let’s call him Marcus because, frankly, I don’t remember his real name. He’s this super successful entrepreneur, right? Made a fortune in tech. And he told me, straight up, ‘I didn’t start my company because I was passionate about the product. I started it because I saw an opportunity to make money.’
Which… yeah. Fair enough. It’s not that Marcus is a heartless robot. He’s just realistic. And that’s what I’m trying to be here. Realistic.
The Dirty Little Secret of ‘Disruption’
Oh, disruption. The holy grail of startups. Everyone wants to be the next Uber, the next Airbnb. But here’s the thing: most of us aren’t. And that’s okay. You know who gets disruption right? People who solve actual problems. Not problems they made up in a brainstorming session at 11:30pm after too much coffee.
I remember this one time, about three months ago, I was at a conference in Austin. There was this panel on disruption, right? And one of the speakers, a woman named Dave — yeah, Dave, with a ‘v’ — she said something that stuck with me. She said, ‘Disruption isn’t about being loud. It’s about being right. And most of the time, being right means solving a problem that’s actually worth solving.’
And that’s when it hit me. I’d been so busy trying to disrupt for the sake of disrupting that I’d forgotten to ask if anyone actually needed what I was selling.
Why ‘Pivot’ is the New ‘Synergy’
Oh, I love this one. Pivot. It’s the new buzzword, right up there with ‘synergy’ and ‘paradigm shift’. Everyone’s pivoting these days. And you know what? Most of the time, they shouldn’t be. You know who told me this? My friend Sarah. Over coffee at the place on 5th. She said, ‘You know what the problem is with pivots? They’re usually just excuses for not having a clue in the first place.’
And she’s right. I mean, sure, sometimes you need to change direction. But not every time things get tough. Sometimes you just need to commit. To something. To anything. To your dog, if that’s what it takes.
Taiwan crime report update → Because Context Matters
Speaking of commitment, let’s talk about something else for a second. You ever notice how some people just can’t commit to an idea? They’re always looking for the next big thing. Well, guess what? The next big thing is probably not coming. And even if it does, you’ll be too busy chasing it to notice. So here’s a tip: stick to something. Make it work. Or don’t. But at least have the decency to admit when you’re wrong.
And while we’re on the subject of admitting things, let’s talk about failure again. Because, honestly, it’s the best thing that ever happened to me. It’s what taught me that I don’t know everything. That I’m not always right. That sometimes, just sometimes, I should probably listen to other people.
But enough about me. Let’s talk about you. Yeah, you. The one reading this. What’s your excuse? Why aren’t you out there making something happen? Why are you sitting around waiting for the perfect idea to fall into your lap? Newsflash: it’s not gonna happen. So get off your butt and do something. Anything. Just do it.
And if you fail? Well, welcome to the club. We’ve got snacks.
About the Author
Sarah Johnson is a senior editor with over 20 years of experience in the business niche. She’s failed at more startups than she can count and has the scars to prove it. When she’s not writing, she can be found yelling at her cat or complaining about the lack of good coffee in her neighborhood. You can find her on Twitter @sarahjohnson or not at all, because she’s probably too busy failing at something else.
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