The Right Kind of Failure

Types of Failures

There are three archetypes of failures:

1. Basic Failure
2. Complex Failure
3. Intelligent Failure

Basic Failure

In known territory, where a simple error led to the failure.

Can have small, or large consequences.

Complex Failure

A failure with multiple causes, kind of like a perfect storm.

An example is supply chain failure. There are large consequences associated with this archetype of failure.

Intelligent Failure

where new knowledge and discovery come from; usually a result of an experiment

Four criteria:

1. In new territory¹
2. In pursuit of a goal
3. Hypothesis-driven²
4. Failure is as small as possible³

Tip

To have more intelligent failures, think like a scientist.

Guiding Question to have more intelligent failures

• What is it I’m really hoping to do?
  • What is the progress I’d love to make?
    • What do I know currently about how to achieve that goal?
      • What do I not know?
        • What might I try next?

Not taking risks

What holds us back from taking risks?

We erroneously think that the stakes are too high.

We need to remind ourselves about the true stakes of the situation. When we avoid failure, we avoid discovery and accomplishment. That’s just a bigger cost for not taking risks.

References

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb9tjnJWu5g

Footnotes

1. we don’t yet have the knowledge required to succeed ↩

2. it’s not randomly trying stuff to see if any of it works ↩

3. just enough to learn from, without wasting too much resources ↩