Running Towards Failure

The very idea is strange isn’t it? I mean seriously, every smart person (yourself included) is reading this thinking, ‘she can’t possibly mean that.’…well, I do. Let me explain.

My experiences as an Entrepreneur have been quite interesting starting with my first decision to leave the safety of employment (and a lucrative job) to build my own business. As I said my goodbyes, many looked at me with mixed admiration and pity. Why? Though people often dream of the freedom associated with running their own businesses and the potential millions they can make from their grand passion or idea, they find it hard to wake up and act because frankly, the in-between process and pain of launching the business, as well as the risks involved, exposes them to financial problems and frustrations. Others even fear mockery from fellow colleagues and friends should the idea not work out the way it should. As soon as they have listed all the things that could go wrong, the idea is comfortably filed away as a dream that can be pursued “later”.

I’m sure you can think of some opportunities right now that felt like the chance of lifetime and no matter how much your gut told you to go for it, you knew that the same opportunity could lead you to failure …so you ignored it. My challenge to you today is to run towards failure…many successful leaders and achievers can confirm that your chances of success are directly related to the number of failures you experience.

When I left Safaricom to participate in the Apprentice Africa, I did not know what to expect and had no guarantees that I would win. In fact, as many who watched now know, I got fired! This is the classic case of running towards failure…this failure that I risked opened up so many opportunities and set me on a fast track to success. I can tell you now that I’d be willing to get fired again knowing the positive impact such a risk would bring.

Trust me…this may be a difficult pill to swallow but if you can shed your fear and accept that the process towards those millions you want to make or that great person you want to be involves failure at one point then you can start running towards your ‘failures’....knowing all the while that after you jump over a few, you will be staring straight at success.