Failure Is An Option – 8 Questions To Develop A Fearless Mindset
- Brainz Magazine
- Jan 10, 2022
- 5 min read
Written by: Christopher Mitra, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Failure isn’t final, but it can feel that way if you allow it.
The 1970s were a heyday for the American space program. To date, there had already been six crewed missions of the successful Apollo space program. Space was the Final Frontier, and the US space race had captured the entire world’s minds and hearts and attention. The sheer manpower, expertise and courage needed to strap yourself to a rocket headed into the proved that America had won the space race. They were at the top of the dogpile.
On April 11th, 1970, the 7th crewed mission of this follow Apollo space program, Apollo 13, was launched from Kennedy Space Center. It was meant to be the third mission to land on the moon. Sadly, much of the excitement over outer space had started to wane at this point in the program. The goal had been met, and now it was time to move on to bigger things. Unfortunately, two days into the mission, the lunar landing had to be aborted due to a failed oxygen tank. It was a tense few days as Mission Control worked feverishly to keep the crew alive until they got splashdown in the South Pacific ocean.
You might remember this story as it was made into the successful 1995 film Apollo 13.
In that movie, there is a prevalent phrase associated with Gene Kranz, who was the NASA flight director for Apollo 13. The line says:
“We’ve never lost an American in space; we’re sure as hell not going to lose one on my watch. Failure is not an option.”
What a compelling statement. The saying “failure is not an option” doesn’t leave any ambiguity. It’s five words tell you that you have no choice but to succeed. Anything less than 100% success is not acceptable.
One of the big problems we have with the movie line “Failure is not an option” is that it was never said in real life. The phrase makes for great dramatic effect, but it’s complete, utter hogwash.
As a society, we have developed to view failure negatively. The dictionary even defines failure as a “lack of success.”
We are surrounded by negative reinforcement for failure. For example, if we fail in school, we are held back and made to feel inferior. If we err on the job, we are fired and left without an income, and if we fail in relationships, we are left alone.
The ironic part is that failure is fundamental to our growth and success. Our present mindsets around how we view failure hold us from achieving what we need to develop our best selves. Imagine if you had given up after your first attempt at standing up or walking as an infant or riding a bike, or driving a car.
Failure is a fantastic learning tool. I’d be so bold as to say that it’s the best learning tool because it’s so personal in nature. Right now, the only negative to failure is the false idea that our individual self-worth is tied to our failures; If we fail, then we are failures.
You don’t need to spend much time in the self-improvement field to hear about Edison’s thousand failures before building the lightbulb correctly, and his story isn’t the exception.
Sir James Dyson had over 5000 failures over 15 years before his fantastic vacuum was working correctly.
Steven Spielberg was rejected TWICE by the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts.
The first time Jerry Seinfield was on a comedy stage, he froze in fear and was booed and jeered off stage.
Steven King had his first book Carrie rejected 30 times
This list of failures that have been cultivated into wins is ENDLESS. Everything you see around you, from fire to the wheel to a Tesla and your smartphone, didn’t happen by a mere fluke. They are born from endless failures.
As a Success Coach, I consistently see clients who know what they need to do to achieve their goals but can’t move forward due to an overwhelming fear of failing.
So, how do we change this unfounded fear?
You need to change your limiting belief. But, as with all limiting, negative or false beliefs, we only get rid of them by overwriting that mental programming with a new, empowering and positive mindset.
Here are eight sets of questions that I successfully use with my clients to overcome their fear of failure.
How would you like to SUPERCHARGE the power of these questions to change your perception of failure? If so, I suggest writing down your answers with a pen on paper. The mere act of doing that will instantly start to rewire your brain.
Develop your FEARLESS MINDSET with this set of questions.
What challenges in my life are caused by my fear of failure? What would I do if I weren’t afraid of failure?
What is the worst that could happen if I failed? Have I suffered any lasting harm from my previous failures?
What are my three most significant failures? What can I learn from them?
Who are my three biggest heroes? What failures have they endured? Have I failed as much as they have?
What is something I can do to minimize the likelihood of failure?
Do I take my failures too personally? Why do I do that?
What can I do to be more optimistic in general?
How have my failures minimized my life? How big would my life be if I didn’t allow failure to limit my behaviour?
Even if you have a surface understanding that failing can be beneficial, these questions help solidify the concept in your mind and ensure that you approach every new undertaking with the same childlike wonder and amazement that we used to develop the talents that made us who we are today.
Failure is all around us and is as inevitable as death and taxes, so let’s stop letting it have the power to paralyze us from prospering. Instead, start considering failure to be nothing more than feedback on what you need to do differently to achieve your goals.
Circling back to the Appolo 13 anecdote at the beginning of this article, in an ironic twist of fate, NASA suffered plenty of failures as they pushed forward into space. It culminated in the horrific 1986 Challenger shuttle disaster. The result of a study on the cause of that incident did point to a technical reason. But, more importantly, it found a detrimental and rigid culture that made it almost impossible for engineers to talk or rectify issues that could cause failures or delays in the schedule. While not perfect, they now understand the need to move away from an organization that views any setback in a negative light.
Christopher Mitra, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
"Chris is a sought-after Confidence & Achievement coach whose mission is to empower people to live An Inspired Life. He works with individuals, groups and organizations to help them overcome challenges, build self-esteem and achieve their goals.
Chris helps people who struggle with low self-confidence and lack of self-belief to discover their true potential. He helps them transform from the inside out by developing confidence, belief in their abilities and a passionate desire to achieve their goals. His clients range from CEO's to parents to students, but all have one thing in common; a willingness to invest in themselves and a strong desire to create a compelling future.
Chris has 25 years of experience in business and IT. As a tech entrepreneur, he founded a successful software development company and now mentors university graduates looking to start their own companies
You are here for a reason."
