Mastering the Art of Failing Podcast – Embracing the Journey of Growth and Resilience

Originally posted on LinkedIn

A few months ago, Elliot Volkman, asked me a simple question, “how do you feel about Podcasts?” If I’m being honest, it didn’t really matter what he was about to pitch me, the answer was going to be yes. Spending years earlier in our careers building and growing our non-profit, Digital District, I know we’re great partners and anything we collaborate on will at least be fun, with one huge exception…. the time he convinced me to run a half marathon up a mountain in Asheville, NC…but I won’t hold that against him.

In a world that relentlessly pursues success, the concept of failure is often stigmatized as a bad thing and purposely left out of conversation. Everyone’s journey in life looks different but we all experience failure, even those who appear to achieve overnight success. We’re here to tell you, there is no such thing as an overnight success; overnight success takes years of hard unseen, uncelebrated, work to accomplish.

Why Failure Matters to Me

As a competitive Type A personality, myself, the thought of failing or looking incompetent makes me very uncomfortable. How uncomfortable you might ask? A few years ago, I hid at a holiday party because someone asked me to play the Oreo game, you know the one where you attempt to get the Oreo from the top of your face into your mouth without using your hands. I wouldn’t allow myself to participate in a silly party game because I didn’t want to look like an idiot and prevent my team from winning.Literally nothing could have been stupider or lower stakes, but my ego got in the way of a potentially hilariously good time. 

How many times in my life have I prevented myself from trying something new out of fear of failure and what lessons did I rob myself of learning? Thinking about it made me realize this podcast was an opportunity to help reshape the conversation around failure which I was guilty of avoiding. I whole-heartedly signed on to the project to help both myself and others embrace and de-stigmatize the concept of failure.

Podcast Launch

Last week we launched the pilot season of our new podcast, Mastering the Art of Failing, a series dedicated to reshaping our understanding and approach to failure. In Mastering the Art of Failing, we dive into the stories of leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, and thinkers who have turned their failures into steppingstones for success. These conversations are more than just anecdotal accounts; they are a testament to the power of persistence, learning, and resilience. Everyone’s journey to success is riddled with missteps, pivots, and failures, it’s time they’re included in the conversation.

Discussing failures publicly is not comfortable, but necessary. This podcast is not just about sharing stories; it's about changing mindsets. It's about understanding that failure is not the opposite of success but a vital part of it. I hope you’ll tune in to Mastering the Art of Failing and join the movement to de-stigmatize failure, where we celebrate the messy, non-linear journey towards success, and foster a community that values growth over perfection.

Let's redefine success together.

You can subscribe to Mastering the Art of Failing on your favorite podcast platform and follow our LinkedIn page for regular updates and discussions. Don’t miss Season One Episode One: Crashed and Burned into Consumer-Market Fit with Glen Hellman. Stay tuned for new episodes dropping bi-weekly. 

Interested in being a guest? Let’s chat!