When Did "Try" Become "Fail"?

Contributed by Rob Siders

"Victory is sweetest when you've known defeat." –Malcolm Forbes

In the world of baseball, we consider a player successful when he gets a hit once in every three at bats. Turned on its head, if he strikes out twice—the ultimate individual failure in baseball—and gets a double on his third try, he's doing pretty well.

Norm Larsen, the inventor of WD-40®, was unsuccessful 39 times before finally getting it right on, ahem, number 40. The very name of his invention reveals its path to success.

Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman frequently tells interviewers of his days as a struggling actor. The logical question that usually comes up is, "So what is the secret to success?" What is Freeman's reply?

"I didn't give up."

If you think back to the time when you were a child, you can probably remember doggedly learning to tie your shoes. You struggled with your small hands, with underdeveloped dexterity, manipulating slippery strings.

You most certainly didn't get it right on your first try. But you continued until finally the loops of your laces secured your shoes to your feet.

It was an important part of your growth. As you continued to grow, and into your teens, you developed a sense of confidence. Simple tasks became simpler, if for no other reason than because you had a greater sense of self.

You also doubtless remember your childhood as one filled with hours of drawing pictures. Looking back now, you see a bunch of scribbles and stick figures.

But, at the time, none of that mattered. In your mind's eye, you were making masterpieces worthy of hanging in museums (and not just held up with magnets on the fridge).

Then, as your cognitive skills developed, you saw that what you drew looked nothing like the real thing: one-dimensional objects, with crooked lines and rudimentary features.

As a result, you stopped drawing altogether, perhaps denying the world another Picasso in the process.

Why, at that point, did the act of trying become failure? And why did failure become a barrier to continued growth?

These questions are great conversation starters and the answers likely won't come easy. But they're also good jumping off points to examine the ways that failure, or trying, is often the driver of long-term success.

How many times have you had what you thought was an excellent idea for a new process at your work only to discover that, in practice, the idea wasn't complete? Probably more than once. You likely continued tweaking the idea until it more closely resembled your original conception of success. You believed in the idea enough to soldier forth until it worked.

What did "failing" along the way do? Many things.

Developed Critical Thinking
The planners of the Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II worked months to develop a cohesive strategy to defeat the Nazis. They also knew the plan would break down the moment it was set into motion.

The practical flaws in the design of your idea revealed themselves when you implemented it; this encouraged you to re-examine your plan and adapt it.

Developed Perseverance
Because you believed in your idea from the outset, you had a stake in seeing it through. Abandoning it too early wasn't the solution.

It showed you that stumbling gives you an opportunity to move forward with better alternatives.

Developed True Confidence
Often times, succeeding right out of the gate leaves you unprepared for future stumbles, which are bound to occur down the line. Early success has a way of creating false confidence.

By persevering until the plan succeeded, it bolstered your self-assurance.

Developed Valuable Experience
As in the case of Norm Larsen, mentioned earlier in this article, one could look at his experience and wonder, "Why would he continue to hack away at that silly formula?"

With each turn, he gained some insight into why the formula wasn't working, so he could apply that knowledge to the one that eventually did work.

The same was true when you implemented your idea. As you changed and adapted the idea, you had a better understanding of the process itself, which now shapes future ideas and planning.

Try to consider these things when you face the fear of failure, whether you're trying to learn everything about computers or to play your favorite song on the guitar. Everyone who found success at these things struggled to achieve them at some point.

Their endurance provided a powerful platform for future success. The same power exists in you.

WD-40 is a registered trademark of the WD-40 Company.