Failing Can Be Helpful

In analyzing my approach to “taking a break from blogging”, I have tried to reduce my blogging inconsistency to laziness (for I am quite lazy), but my internal reductio ad absurdum argument had me conclude it’s a matter of intellectual honesty.  I am unable to go after my differences with the absurd left…when my own concepts of idealism are not reconciled to my own beliefs and more pointedly, aligned with the behavior of what I hold dear; my daily living and leadership within my company.

 

This blog spares the left and points the crosshairs of attack squarely on my own performance.  Here are the top 3 lessons I learned from my own business failures (2 of my 3 business closed down, last one hung on by a hair and now appears to be doing well), with a comment on how I plan to advance each lesson!

 

#1.  Stick to what you are good at.

-Having diversified and led the cavalry right off the cliff, I can say that in sticking to what our expertise is, we are able to open the door to radical improvement through a focused approach of containable problem solving.  The largest hindrance to this advancement is my own pride that wants to defend the status quo to salvage some image of perceived success.  In laying this down (and therefore exposing weakness) I find we can hold up the problem and after exposing it…solve it…to the benefit of the team.  Staying committed to what we are good at allows us to (often times) solve problems faster.

 

#2.  Proper Function:

-Creating an ideal within business is great.  If we can get past being intimidated by that ideal…we have the opportunity to relate to others and try to undo the status quo and go after that proper function aspect of our business.  Looking to see how something ought to function takes humility, courage and teamwork.  Dare to strive for the ideal…and learn along the way.  The hidden nuggets of advancement are found in such a dirty process.

 

#3. It’s not over until you give up.

-Society places huge weight of defining success on our behalf.  If we place our value on what society says (flash, money and winning) then we work to uphold that ideal…and internally collapse in the process.   In not giving up, we force our self to redefine success.  I have found “not giving up” is a form of success that empowers the sturdy vehicle of hope to draw in friends and family to stir you up to continue to fight the fight.

 

It is easy to lambaste the fool…for their foolishness places a giant target on them.  Moreover, I confess with abject honesty that my business failures have held me accountable to my own foolishness, therefore I am not unable to call out others foolishness, but I must do it with a degree of humility that says I too am a wandering nomad in the world of truth seeking.