How can failure be a goal?
I work out with my 19-year-old son Henry. He has also been my personal trainer since he became a teenager.
I remember the first time when I asked him at the gym, “How many reps?” and his response was, “Until failure,” I thought he was joking.
How can failure be a goal?
It was only then that I learned that muscles need to be brought to a certain point of exhaustion or failure in order for growth. This was all new to me.
“What a success” is still the highest compliment for most people and companies.
And the word failure is still associated with bad, not good enough, not achieving, so I was curious to ask Henry what he thinks of this word.
He told me, “When I hear failure, it motivates me. It makes me want to push more.”
Most of the people and companies I coach have calendars and posters quoting failure and how making mistakes are a great way to learn. But how often do they really act upon it and encourage
failure as a way to grow?
What if we reclaimed the word failure?
What if instead of always going for success and not giving a damn how we got there, we go for failure and care about growth and process?
Success without failure is like taking steroids to build muscle mass – you will look bigger and stronger, but it won’t last.