My dad encouraged us to fail. Growing up, he would ask us what we failed at that week. If we didn't have something, he would be disappointed. It changed my mindset at an early age that failure is not the outcome, failure is not trying. Don't be afraid to fail.
In this quote, Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx, reflects on the valuable lesson her father taught her about failure. Growing up, Blakely’s dad encouraged her and her siblings to embrace failure as a necessary part of learning and growth. He would ask them what they had failed at each week, and if they didn't have an answer, he would be disappointed. This unique approach reframed failure in her mind, teaching her that it is not the outcome but rather the attempt that matters. The lesson instilled in her an early understanding that failure should not be feared, but rather embraced as a stepping stone to success.
Blakely’s father’s focus on failing provided her with the freedom to take risks without the fear of making mistakes. It encouraged a mindset where the act of trying was more important than the result. This perspective has shaped Blakely’s entrepreneurial journey, allowing her to take bold risks in business and innovate without being paralyzed by the possibility of failure. Her father’s belief that failure was not trying helped foster a strong sense of confidence and resilience in Blakely as she built her business.
The idea that failure is not the result but the lack of effort challenges the common societal view of failure as something negative or shameful. By rethinking failure as part of the learning process, Blakely’s mindset aligns with the belief that success often requires multiple attempts, learning from mistakes, and not being afraid to fail. Her father’s encouragement helped her understand that perseverance and courage are key to achieving growth and innovation.
Ultimately, Sara Blakely's quote highlights how an early lesson about failure shaped her approach to both life and business. Her father's unique perspective allowed her to break free from the typical fear of failure and instead embrace challenges as opportunities. By adopting this mindset, Blakely’s success story underscores the importance of taking risks and not being afraid to fail in the pursuit of achieving one’s goals.
C101 Hoang Linh Chi 12a7
There’s something beautifully subversive about this parenting approach. It flips the pressure of achievement into a celebration of effort and experimentation. I wonder how different my life might have been if I’d grown up with that kind of encouragement. But does this approach work in all cultural contexts, or is it more compatible with individualistic, entrepreneurial mindsets? I'd be interested in how others have applied this idea in their lives.
DTha duc tri
This quote makes me reflect on how we define success. If trying and failing is more admirable than never trying at all, then maybe we’re measuring the wrong things in life. It’s bold and refreshing, but I’m curious — how did Sara Blakely deal with the emotional side of repeated failure? Encouragement helps, but does the fear of failure ever fully go away, even with this mindset?
TTLe Tien Thanh
I really admire this mindset, and I wish more parents took this approach. So much of our fear comes from early conditioning — being scolded for mistakes, being told to aim for perfection. Imagine the long-term impact of being praised for effort instead of results! But I do wonder: how do you balance encouraging failure with holding kids to high standards or accountability?
BNHoang Nguyen Bao Nguyen
I find this incredibly empowering, but also challenging. Encouraging failure sounds great in theory, but in practice, it requires emotional resilience and support. What happens if someone takes that risk and doesn’t have a safety net or guidance afterward? I wonder how we can build environments where failure isn’t just tolerated but truly valued, without sacrificing people’s confidence or stability along the way.
TNThu Nga
This quote completely reframes failure for me. I grew up thinking failure was something to avoid at all costs — something that reflected badly on me. But what if we taught kids to see failure as proof of effort, of courage? I love how Blakely’s father flipped the narrative. Is this mindset something that could be brought into schools and workplaces more intentionally to foster creativity and risk-taking?