Start Early, Fail Fast: The Key to Achieving Your Goals
How failing fast empowers you to conquer fear and succeed sooner.
What if we spend so much time worrying about getting things right, that we miss the many opportunities to learn, adjust, pivot, or simply start again? The sooner a person starts, the earlier mistakes can be made, embraced, and learned from. A barrier is created when we try to avoid making mistakes altogether.
The fear of making mistakes strips us of the very moments needed for the journey. We can put pressure on ourselves to show up perfectly, which ultimately hinders us from moving forward.
“But my hope was that when I failed, if I failed, I'd fail quickly, so I'd have enough time, enough years, to implement all the hard-won lessons. I wasn't much for setting goals, but this goal kept flashing through my mind every day, until it became my internal chant: Fail fast.” - Phil Knight.
I went to Agadir and spent most afternoons reading Shoe Dog by Phil Knight. He takes us on the journey of building Nike from the ground up, and all the detours and setbacks in between. It was a real page-turner and when I finished the book I immediately went for a walk! I had so many thoughts, so many thoughts. I was extremely inspired to say the least. The history behind the creation of Nike is really fascinating, and this particular quote resonated with me so deeply.
As a former perfectionist, I always wanted things to look a certain way and be of a high standard. Striving for excellence is a core value of mine, but doing so does not mean limiting myself and getting in my own way. I found myself waiting for the right time or when I felt ready. The truth is, I’ve never felt ready for anything. I’ve always known to feel the nerves and create anyway. Sometimes the feeling of readiness doesn’t come. It’s like waiting at a bus stop for a bus that’ll never arrive.
The discomfort and fear of starting will be there. Allow yourself to feel it, and choose to persist through. Start anyway.
I had a moment while on holiday. I stood in front of a series of paintings by the beach in Agadir, completely captivated and mesmerised by what the artist produced. The scenery depicted was incredible. The colours were bright hues of red, orange, and shades of yellow. There were camels walking along the seafront whose waters reflected the sun. It blew my mind. I love nature paintings. More specifically, they’re my favourite paintings to create. While staring at the painting and daydreaming, I thought to myself:
How often will I stare and gaze at the beauty of what others have produced?
When will I stop being a spectator marvelling at the paintings of others, at the expense of creating my own?
Now, there’s a time and place for everything. There’s a time to consume and appreciate the work of others. It’s important to seek inspiration and also celebrate what others produce. I honestly love and value paintings so much. There are many artists I admire, however, a balance was needed.
You can only visit so many art galleries, before deciding to pick up a paintbrush and start painting. You can only read so many articles or books for inspiration before you have to put pen to paper and start writing. You can only watch so many ‘How-To’ videos before it’s time to practice and apply all the knowledge you’ve gained.
I’m at a stage in my journey, where it’s time to apply what I’ve learned. I’m ready to apply the teachings, inspirations, and musings from others, and practice my gifts. I can only learn to fail fast and recover quickly by starting.
After taking in the amazing paintings in Agadir, I chose to encourage myself:
Fear of failure cannot be a fear I have.
I must lean into any mistake or failure that could potentially arise, and learn from it.
How I choose to respond is what matters most because the lessons gained will always be invaluable.
So, I urge you to start and allow yourself to fail quickly. This way you’ll have ‘enough time, enough years, to implement all the hard-won lessons’. Welcome to my online journal!
Love RJ x
Bible Verses for Meditation and Prayer:
✨ ‘For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.’ - 2 Timothy 1:7 (NJKV)
Declaration: I refuse to allow fear to dictate my life. I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound mind.
✨ ‘Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.’ - Joshua 1:9 (NKJV)
Declaration: I can be strong and courageous because God is with me. He tells me to not be afraid, so I won’t allow this emotion to control me.
Songs to stir you up!
Yes - Shekinah Glory Ministry
The King Is Here - Embassy Worship