"Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm." - Churchill
"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." - Edison
"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face" - Tyson
I was recently in a meeting at the offices of a large Architecture & Design firm. On one of the walls, several employees had posted their favorite inspirational quotes. While there were many fantastic quotes, the three above resonated particularly strongly. Here's why: They all embrace failure, iteration, and the ability to quickly adapt when things don't go according to plan. Sound familiar? These are the fundamental tenants of Lean Startup principles.
As the Founder of a company that tries to apply Lean, it was an interesting observation. Here are three individuals who reached the pinnacles of their respective fields by understanding that failure is a fundamental component of success. It's a great reminder that while the Lean principle of iterating on failure might just be gaining steam in the Entrepreneurial community, it has been applied for centuries by brilliant, innovative individuals (and Mike Tyson).
Eventually my thoughts looped back to our own company, Unbranded Designs. We test new approaches to our model every day. Many of these approaches go nowhere. These failures can of course be annoying or discouraging. But there's a certain sense of comfort in knowing that some of the most accomplished people to grace this planet faced similar setbacks. In fact, perhaps one of the reasons they were so successful is because they openly embraced failure and remained enthusiastic and passionate.
So let me simply offer up my support for other start-ups in the community that are testing, failing, and learning with their own companies. Approach #10,000 may not be working out, but keep hustling and stay passionate, because you're not alone.
