Failure is Just Crucial | by Michael

I like your insights I’ve been following along on snapchat and but a few of you book selections on hold at the library. I wrote a post a few weeks back equating the fear of failure to a glass ceiling that we create for ourselves. Another way to look at this is that some people are not only afraid of the failure the thought of success scares them as well and that there is a recipe for life paralysis.

so true. fear is nothing but paralizing, i have that all the time when im about to make a change in my life. but then i just go ahead and do it and its all worth it. this is such an important subject. Im actually reading this really cute book that talks about creative living and fear, its called Big Magic. They talk about it in an easy way to understand. thanks Michael. Have a great weekend.

I guess I really haven’t hit that failure point yet but I got that point where I have been all talk, maybe like Lauryn was with TSC. I have been obsessed with fitness, particularly spinning for a long time now. But ya know I work a corporate 9-5 (erhm I mean 7:30-9 ha) and it’s a great job. The job everyone wants, the job my parents love to boast about that I have. But I realized I was passionate about something else. Something bigger. I had talked up the teaching fitness for a long long time, but was afraid to start. People were so impressed and proud of my accomplishments in business I was afraid I’d look like a failure to them. But someone finally told me to do it, really do it and put it all in. And I finally put the application in, and scheduled that appointment. People will talk, people will probably judge, but I listen to some advice I got from lauryn: “stay in your own lane”. And that’s exactly what I’m trying to do

Michael! I watch your snaps religiously (and lauryns you guys are so great.) I even made my sister and boyfriend follow so they can see there’s different types of success out there. Well, and my boyfriend runs his own company in LA so I think it’s extra motivational for him.

Anyways, I loved this post because today’s my 23rd birthday and I’m figuring out where I want my career to go right now and posts like this or your snap rants totally push me to reach out to contacts I would normally be afraid to or apply for a job I normally wouldn’t.

So thank you to you for reminding me of this truth and for lauryn for creating a blog that makes me excited about taking care of my body. You guys are the greatest and never stop snapping you make my days, too funny.

I absolutely love this post and can 100% relate. I joined the Army right after college because I knew it was a path I wanted to take. My parents had both served in the Army, as well as my brother. I knew that serving was something I wanted to do. At the beginning of 2015, I was faced with a huge decision– was I going to finish my enlistment after nearly 6 years of being in the military and throw away a steady paycheck with retirement lurking around the corner and down the hall? Or was I going to do something I truly LOVED and was passionate about with the fear of failing and not making any money at all? After much deliberation, I finally decided to walk. I wanted to pursue my dream of being my own boss, regardless of what it took. I remember the sleepless nights I would have leading up to getting out of the military. I would literally wake up at 4AM every single morning to do physical training and then be at work by 630. By 3PM, I would work feverishly on my side hustle, trying to get everything in place. By 5PM, I would be completely exhausted, but I was also dedicated to working out and knew that I couldn’t just work every single hour of the day behind the computer. I needed to give my body the attention it needed. By 9PM, I’d just collapse. I did this every single day just because I wanted to conquer that fear of failing. When I finally did get out in October 2015, I realized that I could do this! I could make this work! I could be my own boss and make my own hours and live the life I want to live! It’s all a matter of how bad I want it and how much I’m willing to do or sacrifice to achieve my dreams. If I fail, I fail. There’s nothing more to it. But at least I can say I tried and I tried my damn best! (PS– hello from SnapChat!)

Love this post Michael! I have been afraid of failing for a long time. Failing in school, failing with my parents, failing in my relationships, and even failing myself. I have never personally gone through huge failure where I have to start my life over again but I am currently watching my dad’s business fail. It has slowly been failing for years now but presently the end is in sight. I thought that this post would really resonate with him so I showed it to him. He identified with many of the points that you brought up and he liked knowing there were more people in the world with his ideology. Bottom line I really appreciate this post because it gives me a sense of security (if that even makes sense) that I understand what my dad is going through, how he sees it and how I know that even if he fails at this he will easily pick right back up and start again someplace else. My dad is a smart man, an entrepreneur, and I know this will not be the end of him but just another chapter. Thank you again Michael and thank you Lauryn for having Michael share this on TSC. It really hit home for me.

I like the Michael posts on the blog….and I keep going through and trying to question this saying well what if this happened or that and making up circumstances where this idea is a bad concept. But honestly it’s not working because I think that we grow so much from our failures that in the end they might not even be considered failures but set backs, life lessons, or even experience. Anyways very thought provoking post! Thank you! (On snap:)

Michael, I follow you on Snap and you are SO INTENSE and so motivating. 🙂 I have so many ideas and it’s fear, and the excuses that come with it that constantly hold me back. I am also a perfectionist and like Lauryn, plan and plan plan, talk and talk and talk, and think, and think, and think about everything I want to do but am afraid to take the plunge. Worst part is, I’m good and this stuff, and of course there will be hurdles, but likely could do well at it. I know this, and yet still, fear holds me back. You’re right though, you don’t know if you don’t try and what’s the worst that can happen if you fail…it’ll suck to fail but you’ll move on, learn, and maybe even try again. Thank you for taking the time to share your motivation!

Such a good blog post, as always. Checking this blog every day for me is almost like reading the paper, can’t miss a day or I might miss something important. Thanks for the motivation, I unfortunately don’t have a big failure story to share, ultimately because I haven’t figured out a passion that would push me to that limit. I’m hoping it will come sooner or later though. (from Snap)

Feedback is what you want, so feedback is what you shall get!

I’ve read many other articles on fear and I would have said I took something away from them. However, as of a couple moments ago I would have also told you when I started to read your post I again was able to take something new away from this(just the student in me). It wasn’t until I reached the end and was actually in tears. Which is shocking to me considering Im not the “crying” type. From my point of view you have clearly done your job with this post. I negleted to realize I AM living in fear. Reading similar articles have never once put me in tears and never made me recalculate my current situation. I found my reaction was a combo of how you laid down the truth and how you made me(all the readers) feel your true compassion for others to seriously rock the shit out of life.

With that said, THANK YOU truely from the bottom of my heart. It’s almost liberating I cant wait to go cut some bad shit out of my life. As a long time follower of Lauryn I also thank you for pushing her to the next level.

To Lauryn, its extremly easy to see the respect you have for Michael in many ways so its great move to throw him into mix!!! “From Snap”

Thanks again to the both of you!

Hannah

Another great post Michael! I found your view on failure really refreshing and completely agree with your view.

I went to college for Interior Design and in my 5 years of design school I learned to embrace failure and everything that came with it. There were countless times when I would pull two all nighters in a row and drag myself to class the next, and present my design in front of many Professors, only to be told that the design I had spent hours on and sacrificed sleep for needed to be re-worked in some way shape or form. While this was always annoying in the moment, I slowly learned to love it and realize that in the end it makes me a better designer.

“Failure isn’t an option, it is inevitable.”

This was such a great a blog post. The more and more I read, I couldn’t stop thinking about all the things that I have been talking about doing the last couple years and haven’t done because I’m so scared to fail. I’ve read this post 3 times over now and all I keep thinking is, yeah I might be really scared to fail but whats scarier is that I’ve let that fear dictate my life for this long. I haven’t taken a chance on something new or scary in such a long time. Time to change!!! I feel like 90% of people either want you to fail or try and convince you that you’re going to fail. Reading this post totally inspired me to just prove everyone wrong and just fucking go for it! Annnnd to start getting rid of the people in my life that are negative and unsupportive. Nope no more! Thanks for the post, you are awesome! FROM SNAP

F – Further
A – Attempts
I – In
L – Learning
U – Until
R – Reaching
E – Expertise

Real learning is taking a few observations, creating a conjectural hypothesis about those observations, and then testing the conjecture to find and eliminate that which is incorrect, the errors. Learning is change and failure provides us with the feedback necessitating change. Success does not require change. It merely corroborates that our action is correct, action we have already learned in the past. Mistakes are small failures. Mistakes can weigh us down if we let them OR mistakes can pave the road to achievement! Most of the time you do not need to be right. Every time you are right, you do not learn anything new. You simply sail along doing the same things you’ve learned in the past. Being wrong is an opportunity for change. It allows us to figure out what does not work and what could be done to improve. Anyone who says they’ve always been successful is either lying or their world is so fragile it will collapse in the event of any setback. Success sets us up to fail and failure sets us up to succeed.

“Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly.” – Robert F. Kennedy

#nailedit

Nothing witty to say. Have been reading Lauryns blog forever, and your snaps motivate me during high pressure stretches of the workday (I work at a startup..) oh, and I want to win the secret prize – From snap

One of the most inspiring things I read in high school was Walden by Henry David Thoreau, the quote that sticks out to me and probably anyone that reads it is “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived”. Years later as a sophomore in college I still think of living deliberately every day and even have a tattoo planned for it. What you were saying about wanting to have more in your life after college and to make mistakes and live and experience other highs and lows just tied with that for me. I have had many disappointing moments and experiences but never enough to be considered a failure. Which sounds like a good thing, but it is not as a result of succeeding in everything, I think its because I haven’t taken as many chances as I should. I wish I had a story to comment for your give away but I think after reading your post I will strive to put myself out there more and risk the possibility of experiencing a failure (but like you said, not with the intentions or hopes of failing).

KEEP POSTING!! Love reading any and everything on skinny confidential!

Sabrina

(from snap)

From someone who got so upset over failing a few months ago I say thanks! It’s so relieving to hear someone so successful has had failures too!
I’m moving on and forward and starting again, you’re right “who cares” that I’ve failed? No one really… And not me anymore either ??. (Hey Susan, I’m from snapchat!)

this is so, so good. I read once that “people make decisions based on one of two emotions: love or fear”. it drives me craaazy when someone has a strong passion but chooses to make their decision out of fear instead of love. I’m currently in my first year of dental school at the school of my dreams. I got denied four years in a row before I finally got accepted. instead of being scared, giving up, and complaining about it forever, I tried and tried again until I got it. I do experience my fair share of fear, and this post definitely re-motivates me to go out and do shit. thank you guys!

xx jordan

(p.s. from snap)

I know I’m past the comment contest, I just have to say great topic. And funny you bring it up today, there’s something within my reach that I want to try but it’s so out of my comfort zone and it would really be putting myself out there, but I know I have to try. I have this quote written right here that I love that says “fate loves the fearless.” The worst part is that I think we (I know I do) fear what everyone else will think, when really who gives. Sometimes I try to tell it to myself like this, when I die someday will it matter what my peers thought of what I’m doing right now. No. Not even a little bit.

Michael, always love how real you are! And how you’re always striving to better yourself and share what you learn with all of us … On here and on snap! It’s inspiring. And I love your idea in this article… Not only to “not fear” failure but to use it — use it as a driving force! (From
Snap!)

While I agree with this from one standpoint, some people don’t have the luxury of failing. They have mouths to feed, family to support and might not have the freedom to take risks with a stable income. I think it’s good advice for young people who have the luxury of time and no kids.

I feel so motivated and ready to take on the day after watching your snaps and reading your posts. It’s like drinking some really strong espresso. 😉

I’m a stay at home mom of two who just welcomed my second, a son, via an all natural, unmedicated hospital birth. I’m sure babies, pregnancy and labor are light years away for you and Lauryn but I failed at my first attempt at a natural birth with my daughter. My labor stalled and long story short, there were hospital interventions and she was delivered after 30 hours, with use of an epidural which was a personal disappontment for me. I’ve always wanted an all natural, med free birth so I really focused on achieving that goal during my second pregnancy (reading books, meditation, taking hypo-birthing classes, etc.). When things got unbearable during labor, I just thought about how so many women before me had endured the pains of labor to be fully present for the birth of their baby. I also thought about all the work I did in preparation. Luckily I was able to forego the pain meds and it was THE most ecstatic moment of my life. Goal achieved… Without my first “failure”, I never would have had the drive to get me through. From snap. 😉

Thank you for this post Micheal! I needed it. I just recently fell runner up to my dream job. I’m a tv meteorologist and it was in the top 5 market in my hometown. I was devastated but ya know what after reading this EFF IT, at least I tried and now I’m getting up and going for an even better position with more experience than I had before. You are so so right. Onward and upward and the fact that it wasn’t easy but you did it anyways makes drinking champagne on boats that much more sweeter in the end.

Hi Michael! Love your snapshat stories! But could you try and shoot from the same direction to prevent us from having to flip out phones around with each scene? I try to read your text but the phone flipping makes it difficult to catch.

Ps how do you write such long text on snap ?

Keep up the blogging- when will see a “Michael’s Blog” tab menu on TSC Lauryn 😉

“The idea of failure is what keeps you sharp.” LOVE this post. Failure is an UNAVOIDAble part of life so why not embrace it? another awesome post by michael 🙂

This is incredible! Skinny confidential fan forever