#211: Fear of Failure, Upward Failure & the Dignity of Risk-Taking
3 Ideas in 2 Minutes on the Fear of Failure
I. Fear of Failure
A Fear of Failure can be paralysing. Bestselling author Robert Greene knows this aspect of the human condition all too well:
A lot of people are afraid of failure and so they never try anything in life. They never attempt that project, they never write that book, they never start that podcast. Because they’re afraid that if they do they’re going to fail. And failing is a worst feeling than actually kind of withdrawing from the world.
So you have to, like, force yourself, it’s not easy, to actually try and execute all those projects that are in your mind. But you have to do it with baby steps. You have to try something small first, you know, and overcome your fear of failure.
II. Upward Failure
Another reason to not fear failure is that it can still lead to success. Upward Failure describes the phenomenon of people succeeding despite being mediocre, incompetent or failing in general.
In a negative reading, it’s the colleagues who get promoted based on the Dilbert Principle (“ineffective workers are systematically moved to the place where they can do the least damage: management”). While you’ve been working hard, Bob from your team keeps getting promoted. Despite a poor record. And wearing shorts to the office.
In a positive reading, it’s the notion that messing up can lead to something better in the long run. You turn your setbacks and failures into rocket fuel. Maybe change jobs or careers, which puts you on a much more successful life path. It’s the notion that you cannot lose. Because even if you do, it always leads to something better.
III. Dignity of Risk-Taking
I think it’s fair to say that essayist Nassim Nicholas Taleb despises people who enjoy the upside of their decisions while offloading the potential losses onto others. That also means he respects the legends who take risks where they personally bear the consequences. There’s Dignity in Risk-Taking.
If you take risks and face your fate with dignity, there is nothing you can do that makes you small. If you don’t take risks, there is nothing you can do that makes you grand. Nothing. And when you take risks, insults by half-men, small men, those who don’t risk anything, are similar to barks by non-human animals. You can’t feel insulted by a dog.
―Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Antifragile
🐘
Have a great week,
Chris
themindcollection.com