Thread by @HCWeiss

MY FAVORITE FAILURES, A <THREAD>

10 years ago I was a senior in college, staring down the barrel of a post-recession job market, mere weeks away from being introduced to the world of copywriting/online biz.

A lot has happened since.

⚡️ My words + ideas have helped make clients millions in revenue.

⚡️ I’ve spoken on stages in 9 states (and Canada!! Does this mean I’m an international speaker now?!)

⚡️I’ve taught & coached thousands in the art of using their own style & magic to make their mark.

Buuuut!

Here’s the truth:

NONE (and I mean NONE) of those successes have taught me as much as my failures have.

Failure are a brain tattoo, accelerator, and a perpetually powerful tool for me.

So here are some of my favorites from over the years:

⛈ In 2010, I almost lost a college class project client $5k (a small fortune to me at the time) in very real money because I overlooked some paperwork. He was furious. I cried. It turned out OK, but now I *always* triple check my paperwork.

⛈ In 2011, I lost my $8/hr PR agency job... that I hated. Turns out, a lack of genuine enthusiasm is blatantly obvious — and makes one expendable.

⛈ In 2013, my business partnership that had helped me get my start was clearly not working and needed to fold. We lovingly split and are still besties - and I learned about letting go with grace.

⛈ In 2014 I tried to muscle through a project when my personal life was in shambles. I couldn’t deliver. I refunded the client and learned boundaries are an ethical practice (one I’m perpetually honing), not just a sexy excuse for vacation.

⛈ In 2015, I took on a project miles above my knowledge base thinking that I had good instincts and I could “figure it out”. I could not, and the project went down in flames. I learned the difference between hubris and self-trust.

⛈ In 2016 I realized I’d stalled out because I was using my clients as a mirror to tell me what I deserved, instead of deciding and pursuing for myself. I took back the reigns, righted that course and never looked back.

⛈ In 2017, I fried myself by letting my workhorse/overachiever take front and center. I hit my goals but wrecked my health #notworthit

There are many, many more, BUT!

I’m sharing this because as entrepreneurs and creatives and HUMANS, we are trained to be allergic to failure.

But truly, failure is a stepping stone and an opportunity - just like anything else.

Failure is unavoidable and useful. Painful and powerful. And the more we try to hide from it and avoid it, the slower we move until we’re paralyzed.

So I say take the jump, and the risk (within reason, of course). Learn your lessons and your limits - or lack thereof, which isn’t always a good thing either!

Failure means you’re taking the swings. Safety means you aren’t. Who would you rather be?

As Samuel Beckett says -

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better."

May we all try again and fail better in 2020 and beyond.

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