Fail Fast (Musing)

Currently reading Creativity, Inc. – an insightful book written by the founding CEO of Pixar Studios about how the group has crafted its prodigious tenure in the film industry.

A principle quoted in the book (I believe it was attributed to a director that worked or perhaps still works with Pixar) has stuck with me that I’m musing over how to apply to my own life and work.

Whatever you do, fail as fast as you can.

I’m not failing near enough. And contrary to how that statement sounds, I mean that in neither a petty nor haughty way. Only an embarrassed one. I feel like I’m not doing enough right now in the everyday workings of my endeavors both creative and professional – my strides aren’t bold enough, my goals aren’t ambitious enough, my (calculated) risks not weighty enough to let me feel the aliveness of having to regroup and refine. Thus, I’ve not necessarily failed in a while – only languished or sat idle in the harbor. I’m looking forward to some foreseen wind over this coming quarter – change in my life; the (hopeful) settling into routine and a space/time rather than being completely untethered like I am right now. Those will help. But I appreciated this sentiment and want to incorporate it.

How is failing (or at least risking failure) going for you at the moment?

-LS

2 thought on “Fail Fast (Musing)”

  1. Chris

    I believe every day setting pen to page (or key stroke to webpage) is opening yourself up to failure, and that is why it so hard for so many people to write. Because they are simply afraid of embarrassing themselves. But every time we write, we fail immediately and many times over, having to quickly go back and rewrite and refine and reword.

    But as far as large failings… It has been a while for me too, at least in the professional / creative side of things. I wonder what that looks like for me. And goodness, am I excited for you to settle for a little while and dig in.

    Reply

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