One of the main cultural innovations in Silicon Valley is the acceptance of failure. It is an acceptance that extends almost to the point where if you don’t have at least one specatacular mess-up in your past, you haven’t truly lived.
A healthy acceptance of failure goes hand-in-hand with a passion for risk taking. No one searches out failure, of course, but if you find it and live through it, then that implies you’ve taken a valuable risk and (hopefully) learned from it.
The traditional view is that Canada is very risk-averse and while this stance has served the country well in some markets (banking sector, anyone?) it isn’t so great for fostering building start-ups.
Basically, the equation is no failure means no risk. And no risk means no entrepreneurship.
But again, this is the traditional view of Canada, and one that seems to changing
So talk about your failures. Heck, begin to celebrate them and wear then as a badge of honor. But in doing so make sure you also mention what you learned and how there is no way you’re gonna do that again.
I think the willingness to tolerate, learn from, and even celebrate failure is an American cultural attribute in general, not a bay area innovation.
I do think it can change in Canada, it will just take time and, as you say, examples. I'm working on a few to share soon…. :-)
I think the willingness to tolerate, learn from, and even celebrate failure is an American cultural attribute in general, not a bay area innovation.
I do think it can change in Canada, it will just take time and, as you say, examples. I’m working on a few to share soon…. :-)
Let Failure equal Learning, so next time you won't trip up. Failure without learning just means that you are a failure.
Let Failure equal Learning, so next time you won’t trip up. Failure without learning just means that you are a failure.
It is hard to experience failure when you are going through it alone. I am always impressed by the mentors, investors and serial entrepreneurs who will support and walk with a young entrepreneur through failure and then stand with them on the next venture.
It is hard to experience failure when you are going through it alone. I am always impressed by the mentors, investors and serial entrepreneurs who will support and walk with a young entrepreneur through failure and then stand with them on the next venture.
It is hard to experience failure when you are going through it alone. I am always impressed by the mentors, investors and serial entrepreneurs who will support and walk with a young entrepreneur through failure and then stand with them on the next venture.