The Dangerous Trap of Conventional Ideas and Products
Why not to Underestimate the Fear of Failure, the power of self-efficacy, and advice on connecting with others
Fall is in full force with exquisite colors!
(That is until the leaves fall and the rake must come out)
Hello there,
I took a work trip to San Jose last week and remembered the benefits of meetings and activities all-together.
It was both super productive to meet in-person and incredibly exhausting to have non-stop meetings for two days, punctuated by semi-stressful flights…
Oh who am I kidding, a flight without a toddler? Hot coffee on the fold-down table? Yeah, set it right there. I’m not even worried it will spill on my crotch. Plus I get to eat all the cookies in this pack? It feels like cheating.
Don’t Underestimate the Fear of Failure
Before you brush off this seemingly self-evident concept, let me tell you a surprising statistic.
Performance anxiety plagues 60% of athletes, inhibiting their potential and causing choking under pressure. And it’s not just people at high levels feeling the stress - I find myself regularly confronting this fear.
Last week I wrote about the importance of quitting, and it becomes even more difficult if we associate it with failure. I want to peel back the curtain and show how this fear holds us back.
Before Steph Davis had sponsors ranging from Osprey Bags to Yeti, she lived out of her Oldsmobile sedan and climbed wherever she could.
She procured funding for international climbing trips, but often under the shadow of a stronger climbing leader. It wasn’t until a few weeks into a trip to Kyrgyzstan that she discovered the power of carrying success on her own back.
After multiple summits with her then-boyfriend / climbing partner Keenan Harvey, Steph Davis set out alone to make a summit attempt on Peak 4520 by herself.
(How could you not be inspired by such a creatively named mountain?)
“I craved the uncertainty of knowing that success or failure was entirely up to me.” — Steph Davis
Once she took the pressure off to climb with a partner, she found a lot more joy in the experience. The team dynamics were simple - all jobs were her job.
The first woman to climb all the peaks in the Fitzroy Range in Patagonia, Steph Davis admits to feeling more scared of failing on a route than of the risk of getting hurt.
With a background in classical piano, she built extremely high standards for her performance in all aspects of her life. And that’s the fear of failure creeping in.
Sometimes it manifests in small, more insidious ways. Procrastinating more important work because it might not turn out perfectly. Avoiding trying something new because we risk being judged by others.
The danger comes when we avoid bold ideas and stick to conventional products and services. Failure is better seen as a necessary step towards success. We learn more from failure than from success:
James Dyson built 5,127 prototypes in a shed behind his house before making the world’s first bagless vacuum
Vincent Van Gogh succeeded as an artist only after failed starts in other fields (art dealer, teacher, religious missionary)
Richard Branson may have succeeded in music, airlines, and mobile, but he failed in his hot air balloon trip around the world, Virgin Cola, and a clothing brand (maybe too much emphasis on leather jackets?)
The idea that keeps coming to mind from Brad Stuhlberg’s book Master of Change is this; through experience, you build up your self-efficacy.
The more often you prove to yourself that you can take deliberate action during difficulties the more self-efficacy you build.
And next time you have more confidence in your ability to respond from a place of stability than react with fear or anxiety.
“Ultimately, what we regret is not failure, but the failure to act. Knowing that is what propels people to become original.” — Adam Grant, Originals
Worthy & Remarkable
Humbra Hitch-Mounted Canopy makes it easy to set up some shade behind your truck (only 40 lbs?!)
Hiplok 1000 is an anti-angle grinder bike lock to keep that e-bike safe
How has a bath towel raised $250k on Kickstarter? Honestly, I have no idea… but I now worry my shower experience won’t be the same until I get one.
Sasha Digulian narrates as she climbs a 5.14 (Thunder Muscle) and makes it seem relatively casual - “10am on a Tuesday”
Seb Bouin lives in a small town in southern France, rides a scooter from bakery to climbing gym, and climbs super hard new routes - jealous!
Fall climbing season has arrived, so get pumped up by footage of Martial Law (5.15a) climbed by Cameron Horst featuring a dope soundtrack
I laughed out loud many times at George Washington explaining a vision of the imperial system for the U.S. (SNL) - feat. Nate Bargatze who is hilarious
One Thing from Me
I’ve been lucky to get a few generous introductions from friends to small business owners in the past weeks. There’s so much wisdom (and enthusiasm) to be absorbed from others!
Back in June, I wrote about Danny Meyer (founder of Shake Shack) - he found inspiration from restauranteers doing the most innovative things in the industry by collecting their names on a list. And then he connected with every person on his list.
It’s no secret that I have various entrepreneurial ambitions, which I tinker with and build on the side. The encouragement from others has helped me keep going! (I’m hoping to share some kind of news on this topic early next year.)
I encourage you, if there’s some other job or hobby or side project you dream of - go talk to someone else with experience. Most people would love to share their knowledge!
Speaking of which, my new drumset (and exercises from a teacher) has offered me many welcome breaks from emails and Zoom meetings. Hurray for music!
Autumnly,
Jono