Sometimes we can find business wisdom in the strangest places. Recently, while watching an interview with an actor (OK, I admit, it was Sam Heughan) about performance excellence, I got caught up in their discussion about goals and how goals may not be as important as the journey to reach them.
It got me thinking about the many journeys I’ve been on since starting my business. There have definitely been failures over the years where my desired goal was not achieved. I can think of a long list and I’m sure there are many I’ve forgotten. But I can’t think of one instance where I didn’t learn something that made me better at my work.
In most cases, I’ve learned how to do new things, usually driven by my curiosity. And I can think of work I would not have been able to do since, if not for that learning.
It’s also given me increased self-confidence when it comes to doing work I haven’t done before. I think of one specific project and remind myself… if I could figure that out, I can figure out anything.
Finally, I’ve learned to fail gracefully and better evaluate risks for future journeys.
As we end this year, I encourage you to consider your journeys and goals. Take comfort in knowing that all failures are never only that. They are always opportunities to grow and learn, both personally and professionally.