How I stepped into the challenges and eventually the failures and hurdles, which became the teachers to success.

Transformative Failures: Building a Better Self Through Failure — Startup Experience

Failures are not palatable 🤮 when we go through them; they make us feel 😣 😖 😫 😩 stressed, and depressed, and at times, we ponder, ‘This shouldn’t have happened to me if I had done that or this.’

Your journey defines you, not just the destination.

In reality, it’s just a journey from one point to another, with different flavors. The person who tastes more flavors while journeying from one point to another will likely find greater happiness in the end than the person who didn’t get a chance to savor those wonderful flavors and reach the destination.

The first category will persist at the destination, while the second category will not survive there because they still need to experience the flavors to sustain success.

Let me just take you to one of the movie quotes - In a pivotal moment in a DC Comics movie, Batman wisely tells the Flash, ‘History is what made you. If you alter the past to correct a mistake, you won’t be the same. ’ It’s a profound reminder that our experiences, even the challenges, shape who we are and how good we are.

How did my startup process help me?

My startup (in fact, our) failures have been instrumental in helping me understand the depth of my character and my vulnerabilities, fostering the courage and confidence that I wouldn’t have gained in such a short time if I had not been willing to take risks, whether they led to success or failure ( that doesn’t matter). You can read about the five mistakes that we should be aware of while building a startup, mistakes that I’ve personally experienced — here.

Breaking the myth of ‘Don’t know’ and discovering that ‘Just attempt and explore’.

In the past, when faced with tasks outside my comfort zone or ones I perceived as challenging, I used to hesitate, thinking, “Oh, that’s not something I can do.” This mindset posed a significant problem. I realized the importance of learning and doing what’s required, regardless of my current capabilities. Now, I embrace the challenge, understanding that meeting requirements requires continuous learning and stepping beyond my comfort zone. So, don’t attempt to learn swimming through online tutorials; you should step into the water. Haha!

Shifting focus from ‘complaining’ to ‘what I can do’.

Sometimes, I find myself constantly complaining about constraints. What often happens is that these complaints push me back. The real test lies in finding a way when faced with constraints. If you can stay calm, control your emotions, and refrain from complaining about the limitations, the cloud will eventually lift, and clarity will dawn: “Oh! I can do this.”

Realizing ‘I’m not just a one-trick pony but have many more talents’.

If you conquer the two hurdles mentioned above, you’ll realize that you are more productive than you think and you are not just a person with a single skill; you can write, draw, speak, influence, and do many things. Embracing a mindset shift is key.

I’ve heard someone of great wisdom say that if people are given 10 tasks to finish in one hour, they often complete only 7 or 8 and claim there wasn’t sufficient time. Now, consider this: if a new set of people, unaware of this notion, are given 20 tasks within an hour, they may accomplish 15 or 16 tasks. It’s all about mindset.

‘Embracing the diversity in people’, accepting them as they are, just as they may or may not (🤩) accept you.”

Another key skill I have trained and am currently working to improve is understanding that people are different; don’t try to pull them into your circle. Embracing differences in opinions and thoughts is the beauty of life. Balance, consisting of both positives and negatives, is key. Mastering the art of collaboration amid such differences is a crucial skill that everyone should develop.

Listen to others — ‘Learning comes from listening’.

Sometimes, when I talk, I find myself listening less to others. In the end, it leaves a bad feeling realizing that I didn’t ask for their thoughts; instead, I was showering my own opinions on them. Even now, I struggle with this. Therefore, it’s important to listen carefully to whoever the other person is, regardless of gender or experience. Doing so will impart valuable lessons.

In terms of programmers.

When you break, only then can you rebuild; that’s the rule. Break yourself with whatever challenges and struggles you choose to go through. You will emerge rebuilt and tested to the ‘edge cases’ (as a programmer, you know that).

Let me explain this in terms of programming paradigms. So initially, your capabilities were not properly ‘Unit Tested, both personally and professionally. Now, as you go through this challenging process, you will rework your capabilities and behavior to run successfully through these test cases. You become a better product of yourself (a better program — maintainable, high-performing, in terms of a programmer).

So, the final thought — the conclusion.

The key overall change that occurs during a startup experience is the shift in mindset from a project to a product. With a product mindset, we consistently view it as a product. This means considering who will use it and whether it satisfies our targeted audience, rather than perceiving everything as mere work or tasks, as in a typical project mindset.

In one way or another, all these transformative changes become fruitful in both career and personal life eventually. So, don’t invest in stock markets (stock market subject to market risk — just kidding 😀 ); invest time in acquiring these transformational skills, and you will reap the benefits.”