Don’t worry about failure; you only have to be right once – Drew Houston

Don’t worry about failure: It sounds rather easy to say. I don’t want to romanticise failure or success. But this debate is only about the adventurous spirit that wants us to do things. On the other end, there is a fear of failure which is preventing us from taking action. Who do we listen to? Both factors have their merits. But ultimately, your results lie in your actions. Whose side do you want to pick?

Don’t worry about failure, you only have to be right once – Meaning

When it comes to innovation, creativity and risk-taking – failure is a poison! It makes you worry about outcomes that might not happen at all. The message from Drew Houston’s quote is very clear – don’t worry about failure. This doesn’t mean that we can ignore failure. It is a naive and stupid approach to ignore failure and just because we ignore something, doesn’t make it go away.

However, it is the worry part that we need to debate about. Failure doesn’t ask us to worry. It only warns us of consequences. The best thing you or I can do is be curious about it and learn what this message means. Worry numbs our ability to think about failure objectively.

Why shouldn’t you worry about failure?

Fear of Failure makes you hesitate

We’re what we focus our thoughts on right? If we spend the most time thinking about failure – it becomes a version of our reality. Instead, if we concentrate on our strategy, it gives us a better chance of success.

The quote doesn’t ask us to ignore failure. We ought to acknowledge what it says. But we can’t afford to hesitate each time we take action. Everything we do bears a certain amount of risk. We have to move ahead and take some decisions.

It numbs the experimental ability

No one likes to fail. But experiments inherently will fail. They give you valuable feedback on whether something is working or not. Without this feedback, how will you improve your approach? If we’re so afraid that we don’t take the first step, then our chances of failure are 100% isn’t it? – Related: Failure hurts creativity

Nurturing Curiosity and Creativity/Innovation

Ultimately whether you run a startup or take risks in life – curiosity is one of the biggest gifts. The worst part about the fear of failure is that it makes you doubt your ability to ask these curious questions and be open to all possibilities. And isn’t that where the magic happens – a world without the fear of consequences?

We need that freedom to embrace creativity and the joy to explore options. If your fear is holding you back – you have to ask – what’s the purpose of this fear? And what message is it telling you about?

You only have to be right once – Meaning

This is typically a startup mantra, isn’t it? To succeed, you just have to get the product-market fit right. And maybe even get the marketing plan right. Or funding.

As you can see, the list slowly grows and startup success is not easy. No matter how many times people romanticise this – startup is hard work. It demands a lot more than creativity, clever strategy and funding. Read about the common reasons why startups fail – it clearly highlights stats of the reasons for failure.

But beyond that risk is the glitter of a goldmine – the ability to create something new, scalable and solve a problem. This adventurous spirit drives us as entrepreneurs and creators of solutions. After all, the theme is – succeed once and you’ll end up in millions. I don’t know how much of this I believe anymore. Most of my experiences have told me that the pursuit never ends. Perhaps that’s the beauty of it all – continuous improvement, innovation and growth.

How to deal with the chance of failure

Before wrapping up this debate I wanted to highlight a couple of points about dealing with the chance of failure. Whether it is a startup or life in general – failure is common. It is a simple message that something might go wrong. Let’s not make a big deal out of it.

To deal with a chance of failure:

Identify all the reasons why you may fail

Just put it out there on a piece of paper. Remember, failure is just a message telling you to do something. Once you acknowledge it – it is the first step to calming your mind. This makes you aware of all the risks you’re taking. And ask this question – are these risks worth the final goal you’re aiming for? It might sound a bit disruptive. But so what? It is a very important question to ask.

Find a way to protect yourself

This is what risk mitigation is all about. Find a way to protect yourself. Or – what are your risk mitigation opportunities? You may not find answers to everything. But it will help you think about the impact of these risks. Related: Risk mitigation frameworks

Move on/Move forward

Risk is an indicator and so is the fear of failure. You can’t afford to live there constantly. And that’s the primary point of this article. Embrace risks, accept them and move on. Success demands strength and bravado. If you keep fearing everything, inaction is the worst risk you bear!

Don’t worry about failure; you only have to be right once.

– Drew Houston, Dropbox Co-founder