You are not a failure.
a reminder and an invitation
You are not a failure.
I have allowed many of my failures to become my identity:
not elected class president —> loser.
didn’t immediately understand algebra —> bad at math.
struggling business owner —> loser who is bad at math and should give up.
When we threw the first Fail-A-Bration, I had no clue how much it would challenge my beliefs about who I am, where I’ve been, and who I am becoming.
It just seemed like a funny idea: invite people to a “TED Talk, but terrible!”
We’ve now seen Fail-A-Brations thrown all over the world. From kids in elementary schools all the way to CEOs of major companies. It was never my intention for this to grow into what it has, but it’s become clear to me we all need help reimagining our relationships to failure.
So many are still picking at the scabs of something that went sideways years ago.
So many are hanging on to fear or living in shame.
I have used these events (and the upcoming book!) as an opportunity to shout to all these beautiful humans — and myself: YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE!
Failure is an experience, not an identity.
I want so badly to tell the younger me:
You are not forever defined by that failed bid for class president in fourth grade.
You lost. You are not a loser.
You are not a bad student.
You are learning. You are growing. Keep going.
You are not less than, even though you might feel this way. You are not your worst day. You are not what those bigger, “cooler” kids said about you. You are not your worst subject in school. You are not the only one who feels this way.
You are not a failure. Failure is an experience, not an identity.
You are a beautiful, wonderful, weird little human.
And you’re not alone.
This new book is a message to that kid. It’s a message to all kids.
I created this very special new book with my wife, Kristi.
It’s a picture book for all ages. It is a party, and you’re all invited.
We knew if we were going to create a book about failure, we’d need to take a few risks. So, we did. The art is all created out of found items and textures we would’ve otherwise tossed in the recycling bin or trash. Everything around us found new life and helped create a book about growing and helping each other grow.
THREE WAYS YOU CAN HELP RIGHT NOW:
Pre-order the book.
It is available wherever great books are sold. Click here to see a few options.
Get a pin.
Once you’ve pre-ordered, sign up to receive your limited-edition enamel pin!
Plan a party.
We need Fail-A-Brations happening in all 50 states the week of release. (September 8-14) Sign up to throw your own party. You’ll get free resources and party tips emailed to you!
Thank you for helping spread the word and for your support. Thank you, most of all, for being you.
I hope you fail better.
p.s. Here is a video about Fail-A-Bration.
The great Broadway director, Harold Clurman, had a lot to say about failure. (Google Clurman, you'd love his impassioned enthusiasm.
The history of the theatre is the history of lousy plays… You can’t have good plays unless you have a lot of bad ones. In other words, unless there’s activity. Unless you’re producing…People ask me, why don’t we have more good plays? Why don’t you ask why don’t we have more BAD plays! Because if we have more bad plays, we’ll have more good plays. Because that’s the manure that makes things grow!
Everybody always asks me… what happened the last time? What do you mean what happened last time? You had a flop! Don’t ask me what happened the last time I had a flop! What happened the last time I had a success! Because a success is a rarity in the theatre, and a flop is the norm
— from Harold Clurman, a Life of Theatre (American Masters Series)
I SO understand feeling like you’re bad at math because you didn’t understand algebra immediately. It wasn’t until a tutor in college told me I wasn’t bad at math, just impatient with myself so made mistakes, that I began to change my view of myself.
I LOVE your books, and can’t wait to order this one! Thank you for reminding us that failure is something that can be celebrated.