I shudder each time I hear “fail fast”. Words are gold – precious and not to be taken lightly. Honour your words. Failing is not an Olympic sport. It’s not as easy as it looks when you crash into the boards, fall on the slopes, turn an ankle and then dust yourself off, pick yourself up, and forge ahead and sometimes limp to the finish line.
If I’m not mistaken, “fail fast” means to not dwell but to iterate, rapid prototype, A/B test, push boundaries, be daring, be courageous, be bold until you find a solution, an answer, a way to cross the “finish line”. Failing hurts. We don’t live in the hope we fail, do we?
Bianca Andreescu, our Canadian tennis phenom, prepares for her matches with visualization and meditation. “Working your mind (is important) because at this level everyone knows how to play tennis. The thing that separates the best from the rest is just the mindset.”
My Top Ten+ Losses and Gains (not in any order of importance):
- Loss of Country – Embrace the World.
- Loss of Home – Know how “home” truly feels.
- Loss of Job – Know work is not your worth.
- Loss of Career – Gain creativity.
- Loss of best friend – Gain acceptance.
- Loss of spouse – Know truth.
- Loss of all possessions – Know peace.
- Loss of mind – Gain self-compassion.
- Loss of confidence – Gain courage.
- Loss of sibling – Gain acceptance.
- Loss of health – Gain patience.
- Loss of business – Gain perspective.
Every loss and gain effects change. Through the lenses of loss, we endure, grow, and become more humane and maybe even more human. As we say good-bye to 2019 and position ourselves for a new year, a new decade, learn, learn fast. Listen, listen attentively. Lead, lead authentically and dream a little dream.