Tom Matthews
Failure. It’s a word that carries a heavy weight, evoking fear, disappointment, and sometimes shame. In a world that often glorifies success, failure is something most of us want to avoid at all costs. Yet, some of the most successful people in the world have not only faced failure but have also embraced it. They have mastered the art of “failing forward.”
What is “failing forward”?
Failing forward means using failure as a stepping stone to success. It’s about learning from setbacks, gaining insights, and continuously moving forward despite the obstacles. Instead of being paralysed by failure, those who fail forward see it as an opportunity for growth, development, and innovation. Here’s why failing forward is a critical mindset for personal and professional growth.
1. Redefining failure: a learning opportunity
Failure is often viewed as a negative outcome, a sign that we’re not good enough. But what if we reframe it as a learning opportunity? Every failure carries valuable lessons. It shows us what doesn’t work, highlights our areas for improvement, and provides a foundation for future decisions.
The most successful people in the world are those who fail the most because they’re the people who try the most.
Consider Thomas Edison, who famously said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” His relentless experimentation led to the invention of the light bulb, but it was his mindset—seeing each failure as a learning opportunity—that was key to his success.
Another modern example is Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. Musk faced several failures, including three consecutive failed rocket launches at SpaceX. Each failure nearly bankrupted the company, but Musk and his team learned from their mistakes, leading to a successful fourth launch that transformed SpaceX into a leader in space exploration. Musk’s approach to failure has always been to analyse the mistakes rigorously, fix them, and then try again—a perfect embodiment of failing forward.
2. Building resilience and adaptability
Failing forward is about resilience—the ability to recover quickly from setbacks. It’s about getting up after a fall, dusting yourself off, and trying again with new insights. Resilience is a critical skill in today’s fast-paced, ever-changing world.
Arianna Huffington, co-founder of The Huffington Post, faced rejection repeatedly before achieving success. She was rejected by 36 publishers before her second book was published. When The Huffington Post first launched, it was widely criticised and ridiculed by many reviewers. Instead of letting the criticism derail her, Huffington used it to fuel her drive, adapting her approach and ultimately building one of the most influential media brands in the world.
3. Encouraging innovation and creativity
Failure and innovation are closely linked. When we fear failure, we tend to play it safe, stick to the status quo, and avoid taking risks. But innovation requires experimentation, and experimentation inevitably involves some level of failure.
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, is another example of an entrepreneur who has embraced failing forward. Amazon has launched numerous products and services that failed, such as the Fire Phone, which was a commercial disaster. Instead of allowing these failures to define the company, Bezos views them as experiments that provide valuable data and lessons. He famously said, “If you double the number of experiments you do per year, you’re going to double your inventiveness.” This approach has allowed Amazon to continuously innovate and maintain its position as a market leader.
4. Shifting from a fixed to a growth mindset
Psychologist Carol Dweck’s research on growth mindset versus fixed mindset provides a powerful lens through which to view failure. People with a fixed mindset see failure as a reflection of their abilities; they believe their talents and intelligence are static. On the other hand, those with a growth mindset see failure as an opportunity to develop and improve. They believe that abilities can be enhanced through effort and learning.
An example of this mindset is Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba Group. Ma faced multiple failures early in his career—he was rejected from more than 30 jobs, including a position at KFC, and failed to get into Harvard ten times. Rather than being discouraged, Ma adopted a growth mindset, learning from his experiences and persisting. His journey from repeated rejection to becoming one of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs is a testament to the power of failing forward.
5. Inspiring others through vulnerability and authenticity
When leaders openly share their failures and the lessons learned from them, they create a culture of transparency and trust. Vulnerability, often perceived as a weakness, becomes a strength. It inspires others to take calculated risks, knowing that failure is not only acceptable but also an integral part of growth.
Great leaders like Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, frequently talk about their failures. In fact, she attributes much of her success to the “embracing of failure.” When we lead with authenticity, we give others permission to be human, to fail, and to grow. Blakely often shares that her father would ask her and her brother at the dinner table, “What did you fail at today?”—teaching her early on to see failure as an opportunity rather than a setback.
How to fail forward: practical tips
- Reflect on failures: take time to analyse what went wrong and what could have been done differently. Reflection is key to extracting valuable lessons from each experience
- Take responsibility: own your failures without placing blame on external factors. Accountability is crucial for growth
- Set up small experiments: approach new initiatives as experiments rather than high-stakes ventures. This lowers the fear of failure and promotes learning
- Celebrate efforts, not just results: recognise and reward the effort and courage to try something new, regardless of the outcome. This reinforces a culture of learning
- Keep moving forward: failure is only the end if you decide to stop. Keep moving, keep iterating, and keep striving.
Conclusion
Failing forward is not about embracing failure for its own sake; it’s about recognising that failure is an inevitable part of the journey toward success. It’s about developing the resilience to bounce back, the courage to take risks, and the wisdom to learn from every experience.
When we fail forward, we move beyond the fear of failure and unlock our potential for innovation, growth, and transformation. So, the next time you face a setback, ask yourself: “What can I learn from this?”, and “How can I use this experience to move forward?”.
After all, success is not the absence of failure but the ability to rise from it.
