Good Failure Is Inevitable In Business Essay Example
Reflection on Arianna Huffington’s Statement
Introduction
When at the high school and university, people are not taught there that any failures do not necessarily mean that a doomsday has already come. Our flaws and mistakes are certain to be the messages having been sent to us by destiny, they are the signs and signals from the world which try to tell us that we are doing something in a wrong direction and that redeveloping of the outlook and reassessing of actions and values are highly needed. From the very childhood we are afraid of making mistakes and this fear has all chances to be brought to an adult life.
Unfortunately, a social system (I do not intend to debate here a legal system, criminal and other punitive codes) is shaped in such a way as to condemn, judge us for mistakes and then punish which does not inspire people to try something new and make breakthroughs. In the given essay I will illustrate the reason of why I disagree with a social system and share Arianna Huffington’s expression on failure’s being an integral part of any success.
Once, a well-known columnist, a leading and prominent media woman, who is also the head and the establisher of the Huffington Post, stated “Failure is not the opposite of success, it is part of success” (StartupVitamins).
Life proves and shows one crucial thing to be learnt by everyone: if you want to reach a great success in your life and do not have a desire to live a life what most ordinary people live in the world, you must be equipped to experience ups and downs, failures and mistakes. Why is it so? The answer is quite simple: engaging in any new activity, trying to develop something non-obvious and unconventional are practically related with a matter of being ready to take lots of risks and demonstrate courage.
Many currently famous entrepreneurs endured numerous hardships and failures in the process of cutting off their way to success and prosperity. Let’s take, for instance, Mark Cuban and Donald Trump. It is fairly difficult to fancy that these individuals once had some problems. In one of his interviews, Mark Cuban confessed to having experienced numerous failures with opening and terminating several firms which turned out to be unfeasible and did not survive on the market. The nowadays owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Cuban told about how he used to sell bin liners to save up some money to buy basketball trainers (Shandrow).
Donald Trump, in his turn, is also known for having launched several businesses which eventually did not find their niches on the market and not attract the attention of consumers and as a result he was forced to sell them and give the money collected to his creditors owing to the debts incurred. The story is about Trump Airlines involving the purchase of planes and refurbishing them to look luxurious (expensive and precious wood from which the windows were made, golden facilities in the restroom). Unfortunately, the aforementioned Donald Trump’s project did not go successful as well as other his projects such as Trump Vodka, Trump Mortgage or Trump Casinos (Time).
The establisher of PayPal Peter Thiel in his book “One To Zero” which recently has been released, stated that even one failed but original and innovative startup was much better than a blind imitation, whatever successful it may be. Thiel contends that individuals being capable of creating something original leading to a new industry, but not only to a new firm or business, should be more valued for having acquired outstanding experience and skills which ordinary imitators do not possess (Isakova 10).
Many specialists and commentators involved in the field at issue often claim that secondary and higher schools must focus on launching disciplines and subjects teaching pupils and students how to be emotionally stable, risk-taking and problem-solving individuals tailored to uncertainties and real challenges of life. Continuing this debate, practitioners explain that a contemporary education releases graduates seeking a salvation in the unfavorable for them economic climate destroying their hopes for a wealthy future (Tsang).
The head of Youth Venture UK outlined that he would prefer hiring a person who has tried to open his own business and failed. He explains his choice by highlighting the set of skills obtained by such a candidate, because this person already knows what should not be done and what is wrong in comparison to a prominent graduate with merits.
One of Forbes contributors Ekaterina Walter has managed to collect a few dozens of affluent quotes of famous people on a co-existence of failure and success. I am deeply concerned it is reasonable to cite a few most remarkable of them, to my point of view:
“Only those who dare to fail greatly, can ever achieve greatly” – Robert F. Kennedy;
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts” – Winston Churchill;
“The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing” – Henry Ford (Walter).
Conclusion
Hence, I agree with Arianna Huffington’s statement that failures should be considered as an inherent part of success. It has been demonstrated that life tends to bring people certain lessons and experience to be endured in order to become such individuals who deserve this success. I argue that social and educational systems often turn out to make people feel guilty for their failures and mistakes instead of teaching them what valuable lessons they must have learnt.
Business environment is sure to be an exemplary field where this issue cannot be overestimated.
Works Cited
Isakova, Dariya. "What Founders Are Needed For?" Forbes Ukraine 1 Feb. 2015: 10. Print.
Shandrow, Kim Lachance. "Billionaire Entrepreneur Mark Cuban: 'Failure Is Part of the Success Equation'" 26 Sept. 2014. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/237843>.
StartupVitamins. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://startupquotes.startupvitamins.com/post/33091579030/failure-is-not-the-opposite-of-success-its-part>.
Time. "Top 10 Donald Trump Failures." Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,2068227,00.html>.
Tsang, Amie. "Entrepreneurship: Where Failure Is Part of Recipe for Success." 24 Jan. 2014. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4a168a34-6983-11e3-aba3-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3XwF2Z3Wg>.
Walter, Ekaterina. "30 Powerful Quotes on Failure." 30 Dec. 2013. Web. 19 Apr. 2015. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/ekaterinawalter/2013/12/30/30-powerful-quotes-on-failure/>.
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