How to never fail again

A few weeks ago, I heard YouTubers Colin and Samir say something about failure that stuck with me.

I don’t have an exact quote, but the gist of what they said was that they try to think of failure in life like they would in a video game.

When you fail at a level in Super Mario, it doesn’t mean you’re done and can no longer play the game. And failing at a level in Mario doesn’t mean you’ve hit the ceiling of your capabilities.

When you fail at a level in Mario, you’ve just got to start over.

But this new beginning contains new knowledge, new skills, and new experiences that are likely to help you perform better on your next run.

Failure is your choice

Granted, starting over isn’t fun. It can be maddening and disheartening when you have to restart over and over again.

And if you have to start over enough times, you might decide that you’ve had enough, that it’s time to quit, that you’re done.

But that’s just it. The only person who can decide when you’re done is you. Ultimate failure is a decision. If you never play the game again, it’s because you’ve chosen not to.

Maybe you should give up?

You might be surprised by this, but I’m not here to tell you not to give up.

There is no shame in realizing that you don’t like playing the game anymore. Why put yourself through the slog of starting over if you’re not all that into the game?

You should only continue if it’s not a slog.

If you love the game, keep going. Try again. Start over as many times as you need to. Even if it takes you longer than most, you’ll get it eventually if you keep trying. This is not wishful thinking, by the way; it’s a foundational rule of reality.

Games and limiting beliefs

Seeing failure in the context of a video game resonated with me because I already tend to think of business and creativity as a game.

I like games. I have a whole closet full of nerdy board games, and I stock up on 2-3 new games each Christmas.

I realized early on that I enjoy entrepreneurship because, for me, figuring out how to make an income is a fun game to play.

I’m honestly not very competitive, but I do try to win. And to win, I have to believe I can win.

I don’t approach playing a game with a limited mindset that says, “Only one person can win the game, and odds are it isn’t going to be me.”

Even though that is technically true, it’s not helpful. And it’s not fun. No one likes to play a game where defeat is inevitable. Why play?

But that’s how many of us approach life. We don’t want to play the game because we’re convinced we will lose.

Let me bring it full circle to Colin and Samir’s insight. I might lose this level, this round, this attempt, but I can always pull the game back out and try again. I can always get better. I can always keep playing until I win.

A love for the game combined with enough tries makes winning inevitable.

Real-life consequences

You might think I’m downplaying the real-life consequences of failure. After all, there are no real stakes to losing at Mario other than time wasted.

“In life, the stakes are high. There are real bills to pay and real bodies to feed; survival is on the line.”

Is it, though?

If we’re honest, we tend to inflate our fears to justify not playing the game. Proverbs 22:13 notes this about us:

The sluggard says, “There is a lion outside!

I shall be killed in the streets!”

Hint: there isn’t a lion out there. And even if there was, that’s not the sluggard’s real reason for not going outside his comfort zone.

Let’s not do dumb things, okay? If there truly is a lion out there intending to swallow you up, then by all means, let’s not play the game of walking out our front door. And if survival is truly on the line, then it’s wise, respectable, and good for you to do what you must.

But if you’re giving up, not playing the game, and not moving forward on your creative or entrepreneurial desires because you’re afraid of failure, embarrassment, or getting out of your comfort zone - I hope this article will convince you to jump in and play.