Fail Fast and CHEAP
“Failure is not an option!” That phrase is often used by leaders as a motivating statement to express the importance of whatever mission they are pursuing. It sounds great, but it isn’t true.
Failure is always an option. It is not the preferred option, but it is still an option.
If we take away failure as an option, then we are only left with two choices:
Do nothing. When failure is not an option, the gamble of trying anything new is overwhelming. The fear of failure becomes paralyzing and prevents us taking any risks.
Lie. When failure is not an option, it is easy to play the game of “redefining success.” We pretend that our mistakes were intentional, our misses were hits, and our metrics are moved to paint a false reality.
Failure is an important part of life. Learning how to fail and learning from our failures is what propels us to greater achievements. Refusing to acknowledge the possibility of failure dramatically stunts growth. Failure must be an option.
Just fail fast and cheap.
Fail fast. Time matters. The faster we can figure out that something will not work, the better. People often hang onto an idea or initiative for far too long. They know that it will not work, but they do not know how to deal with the failure. They hold onto the false hope that one more day, one more week, one more quarter will make the difference, but deep down they know it won’t.
Acknowledging failure as quickly as possible allows us to evaluate and move onto another possible solution. When something fails, learn from it and move on.
Fail cheap. There are significant costs to everything we do in life. When we learn to embrace failure as a fact of life, we can greatly reduce the costs associated with failure. When we do not admit that something isn’t working, we lose credibility, influence, and relational equity. Lying about failure and pretending to succeed always costs more in the long run. We cannot outrun our failures. They catch up to us and when they do there is a mighty price to pay.
Try something and if it doesn’t work, then call it what it is…a failure. Learn from it. Make a new plan. Try again.
Failing fast and cheap is a powerful way to overcome the fear of failure. We can only accomplish big things when we try big things. Every new endeavor requires experimentation. Experimentation thrives on failure. Failure is a great teacher. We greatly reduce the amount of time and resources that are wasted when we accept our failures. Reinvesting the time and energy saved into a new approach is good stewardship.
You are responsible for stewarding your life. Make the most out of your time on earth by living life to the fullest. A full life has some successes and many failures. If you learn to fail fast and cheap, the impact of your failures will diminish and the reach of your successes will increase.
