Failure

Ever had an idea that was so crazy you were sure it would fail? Tell us.

For years, I had unfulfilled desires that converged in this unique opportunity: live in India, pursue social enterprise and experience the challenges and impact of a start-up. The choice was one that some considered brave and ambitious and others considered irresponsible and foolish. When I moved to India, I discovered that this fine-line was the first of many.

These days, a lot of us talk big about failure: "Embrace it; share it; learn from it!" Funders (or at least some) are pushing for more transparency so that money can be allocated more effectively. Young people are beginning to take more risks, some that may lead to some big fails, to help find a career with meaning. FailFAIRE takes the notion of "learning from your failures" to a whole new level.

You can tell you’re going to have “one of those days” pretty early on. Before 9 AM, I had forgotten to bring shorts to the gym (so I worked out in pants), forgotten my cell phone charger (and my phone ran out of battery as soon as I got to work) and as I got ready to make my morning coffee, I spilled the grounds all over the kitchen (when that all happens before 9 AM, you should probably go home and start over).

Steve Jobs is an awe-inspiring failure. Truly, an inspiration to failures everywhere. Because when Steve Jobs fails, his success is undeniable.

As Jobs retires from his position as the CEO of Apple, I am reminded of his 2005 commencement address at Stanford University. That day, Jobs listed some of his favorite failures—dropping out of college, being fired from Apple at the age of 30, and the apparent failure of his body in the face of a terrifying cancer diagnosis.