My Perspective on Fail Fast

As a former competitive athlete, 'fail fast' initially rubbed me the wrong way. You don't enter a game aiming for silver, let alone failure. But a mentor's wisdom changed my perspective: the choice isn't between succeeding and failing, but between failing fast or slow.

Failing fast is counterintuitive, yet it's a path to success. It's about rapid experimentation, like a scientist. By quickly identifying what doesn't work, you conserve resources, accelerate learning, maintain momentum, and stay adaptable.

Consider two startups: one perfects their product for two years, only to find no market. The other releases quickly, pivots based on feedback, and succeeds within a year. The second 'failed faster' but ultimately won.

I've embraced this mindset, focusing on learning rapidly. Ironically, I was just caught up in semantics - 'learn fast' would have resonated immediately. It's funny how language can trip us up sometimes.

What's your take on 'failing fast' in your work or projects?