Hi friends,
I have been so stressed out for the past few weeks.
I launched my course Summit 21 and was anxious throughout if people would actually enrol into it.
Probably the same feeling a comedian feels before their first show and a restaurant owner feels when they open a new place.
But ultimately, it all works out.
(If you’re good enough, which you can be if you work for it)
Summit 21 got sold out (of course I cried when that happened) and now I’m back to putting in all I have to make it a success.
My mentor told me I create too many stories in my head about the future and need to take a deep breath and hop back to the present, where everything is okay.
Perhaps overthinking should be my next side hustle?
So I don’t know who needs to hear this, but you’ll be okay. That self-doubt is self-invented, and not a very good invention if I must say. It only screws with your head. 10/10 not worth it.
Anyhoo, today’s newsletter is a bit different.
You’ll see how.
What I wrote this week
I’m so happy with how well this thread performed. You can read it here.
An article I enjoyed writing - 4 Digital Habits That Make You Happier (Fast)
What I *didn’t* write this week
The rest of this newsletter, hence the scam. But the one you’ll enjoy promises.
My friend, Harlaksh, has some wisdom to impart upon you.
I don’t know how to introduce him because the last time he introduced himself on a Twitter space it was something like “I have X numbers of startups and a podcast and am passionate about business and growth.”
Like many amazing online friends, I met him on Twitter.
Grab your cup of tea and read this.
Failure is bad for you, right? Wrong.
Here are 7 realisations I've had over 31 years on this planet about Failure
There are two F-words that are prominent throughout our life. The first is used a lot in conversation (you know the one I'm talking about).
And the other hides in plain sight, ever-present but rarely talked about.
So let's talk about the latter - Failure.
And I can speak from experience having tons of 'failed' ventures, ideas & in general, 'losing' at a lot of things in life
Realisation #1 - Failure is ever-present
No matter what you do, no matter how much success you have, there are always going to be failures, mistakes & losses along the way.
Failure is not an exception to the rule, it's the rule!
And if you let it get to you, it'll ruin your life. You will fail for most of your life and you better get used to it being present in most situations. You don't have to accept defeat. Know that failure is inevitable for the best of us on this planet and it's going to be with you till you're around.
Realisation #2 - Failure is not a bad thing!
Failure does not define your worthiness. It doesn't mean you're not smart, or good enough. It doesn't mean you have no talent or no skill.
Failure is just a label to let you know that something didn't work out the way you wanted it to. And that's OK because failure is inevitable!
So when things don't go the way you planned, when you fall flat on your face, when you get rejected or lose big - use it as a data point instead of all the self-judgement we all usually do.
Realisation #3 - Failure is NOT costly
People think that failure is costly. That you lose money, time, effort, energy, opportunities & other things. And while that's true in the mathematical sense, it's not true as a matter of life experience!
Here's why:
Failure is not costly because it's not permanent.
When you fail at something, you don't lose everything! You'll still have your health, your loved ones, your freedom and most importantly - YOURSELF!
Realisation #3 - Shame of failing is bigger than failure itself
I've had my fair share of failures & every time it happens, I feel like crap. But not because I failed. It's because I feel like a failure! And that feeling is worse than failing itself.
And the reason for that is simple: we're taught to feel shame about being a failure since we're tiny
And that's where the problem starts! Being aware of this one thing can help you, a lot!
Realisation #4 - Conceptual thinking is a trap
We're taught to think in terms of concepts. We're taught to use abstract reasoning, to see things in terms of generalities & categories. But that's a trap! Especially when it comes to failure
Because the real world doesn't work that way. It doesn't care about your concepts.
The real world is concrete, it's messy & there are no general rules that can help you deal with it. Using concepts for rationalising failure is like using concepts to rationalise death. Whatever you do, no framework can help you.
Why? Because it's not a thing to be worked on, it's a fact to be realised & accepted.
And that's why you need to stop thinking in terms of concepts to 'deal' with failure and swallow the hard pill that your ego won't like:
failure is inevitable and you need to accept it in all its glory without having to rationalise it at every step with some concept or framework
Realisation #5 - Comparison will leave you astray
We're taught to compare ourselves with others, implicitly in most cases. We're taught to feel better about ourselves by seeing how we're better than others. But that's a massive trap!
This makes failure comparative which can inflict more damage than needed
Realisation #6 - Rock bottom is a good thing
We're taught to think that we need to avoid failure or we'll hit rock bottom. But that's a myth! Failure is inevitable and it's not bad for you. So there's no point in trying to avoid it! Instead, you should embrace failure as it will take you closer to your goals & dreams!
Realisation #7 - So bloody what you failed?!
So you failed at something. So what?! Unless it's a permanent failure (which it rarely is), you'll have enough shots at this game.
You're still alive, you've got some experience now. And if you can use that failure as a way to figure your way forward, that's all that matters! You've got just one life and it's not worth even a second worth your time to sit and worry about your failures. They're done. Now time to move.
So that's what I've realised about Failure over all these years. The big question is, will you let failure define you or will you embrace it get to where you need to get to despite it?
______
Harlaksh is a lawyer turned Entrepreneur. Currently the Founder of Superflow Agency - Growth Marketing Agency, Supergrowth - growth programs for ambitious entrepreneurs, Valiant Foundation - non-profit & Fifty Seven Capital - Solo fund for launching, investing & buying profitable businesses.
Host of the Superflow Podcast, Ultra runner & fast talker.
Sorry, I forgot he gave his introduction towards the end.
But I think my introduction said the same thing in lesser words, right?
Hit reply and let me know.
Lastly, a book I recommend - Do Epic Shit by Ankur Warikoo. I’m not a superfan of his like 70% of the Indian millennial population is, but everybody should read this.
See you next weekend!
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