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A close friend of the Fuckup Nights had a failed business, but rather than being all doom and gloom, that experience taught him valuable lessons.
By:
fuckupnights
A close friend of the Fuckup Nights had a failed business
That experience, rather than being all doom and gloom, taught him some valuable lessons. Here’s what he shared with us:
Main lessons:
1. The beauty and power of every single act of kindness and support I have received.
From simple emojis to the longest and most meaningful conversations.
We often forget how important we are to one another. And we forget the wide range of actions and attitudes we can draw upon to help others have a better day or find the right answers.
2. The freedom of not missing any of my material possessions. None.
3. That strange feeling of shame when we fail. We lose our smile and spark when things aren’t going in the “right” direction. I regret every moment I’ve felt “less than” for not hitting the right notes.
Some of us live immersed in an “overachiever” culture. There’s no doubt that it’s wonderful to share our “successes” and amazing experiences with other driven people, but there’s a downside: sometimes we create a toxic cycle by trying to always be at the top of our game or playing catch-up . And that’s just impossible.
4. The subtle reminder of just how fragile we are. In so many ways. The commitment to savoring every single moment of joy from the countless good things that happen to me all the time.
5. The magical ripple effect of every single peso someone has lent me. Every single project my friends have allowed me to work on for their organizations, and the joy of having the responsibility to pay it back.
6. How much our society is geared toward “success,” how smoothly things go when the waters are calm, and how little we embrace “failure.” We simply don’t know how to deal with it. And here’s the catch: we “fail” in more endeavors than we “succeed” in.
Those labels are relative and exist only in our minds. We, the 7.5 billion members of the human race, arrive at this game with nothing in our hands and leave the same way.
7. Trust your assets. They will replenish your account. Never betray your values (whatever they may be).
8. The importance of the “standby” option. If things didn’t go as planned, but you truly believe in what you’re building, putting it on hold for a while instead of scrapping it entirely is a good way to show respect for your investors, your team, and your own hard work.
9. We all have different attitudes toward risk. These attitudes change over time. There may be times when you can afford to take a chance, and others when you might want to play it safe.
Pointing fingers at people who take risks—or at those who don’t—is pointless. You’re only looking at a snapshot, not the full story of their lives.
10. Being open with my kids about my decisions and their consequences has been a wonderful experience. I don’t expect them to thinkm superhuman who never makes mistakes. I expect them to experience both plenty and scarcity, andm that will prepare them for the good and “bad” times life has in store for them.
Yes, I want them to have “the best” in life, and that includes the best lessons from failure.
Now, imagine listening to lessons and stories like this one, live, in a room full of strangers and beers!
Thank you, Pablo Salazar, for sharing these inspiring insights despite facing a difficult situation. Thank you also for all the support you’ve given to Fuckup Nights the years.
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