Part 2- Types of Failures

In my previous post, I shared that accomplishing anything of significance requires accepting the associated risk and being open to the possibility of failure. However, not all failures are alike— and that’s what I’d like us to consider now. The first thing to understand is that failures can take different forms. There are simple and complex failures, and both of these can be avoided. Simple failures just result from simple mistakes, such as spilling milk or forgetting to do a basic safety check. Complex failures, as the name implies, results from a multitude of small errors that compound into a bigger one. Simple failures are normally simple to prevent, but complex failures often result from factors beyond our control. What are we supposed to do then? For starters, take a step back and learn from the experience. One of the things that perfectionists need to do is reorient their minds from wanting to avoid failure at all costs to having a growth mindset, where failure is not something to be avoided but an opportunity to grow. In the meantime, remember that “Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.” ~Richard Branson