Michael Wolfe – Failcon Switzerland 2013
Almost every success is preceded by being willing to quit something that is not working, potentially suck at a new job, and risk total failure. Mike, who has been in the tech industry for over 20 years and has started four start-ups to date, walks through several examples of quitting, sucking and failing from his own career as well as those of several well-known Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. He explains clearly and in great detail how our fear of failure manifests and is reinforced throughout our lives, but points out that regretting what you have not done is more common than regretting what you have done. Being a part of a start-up will undoubtedly initially mean spending a lot of time feeling that you are way in over your head and, due to being understaffed, that you are spending a great deal of time doing tasks that you are simply not good at. But the pros outweigh the cons: a feeling of camaraderie in the team, the speed at which you learn and grow and the fun and excitement that comes with being innovative and taking risks makes overcoming the fear of failure worth it. Michael Wolfe also helps answer how we know the difference between a “good” and a “bad” fail and how this model can be applied in your own career.
This talk was recorded and edited by Mark Melnykowycz (Idezo GmbH, Switzerland). Failcon Switzerland was held on April 16, 2013 at Theater Rigiblick in Zurich, Switzerland.