Failure isn't something to regret, and it isn't something to feel bad about; instead, entrepreneurs should celebrate their failures.
Failure is a touchy subject. From the time we're in school, we're taught that failure is an unquestionably bad thing, and clearly, success is better. For the most part, that's a true statement, but that doesn't mean that failure is always avoidable, and it doesn't mean that failure is always unproductive. In actuality, failure is a motivator and an essential step in any company's path.
You shouldn't seek failure out, by any means, but when you experience failure -- and you inevitably will -- embrace it with a sense of pride:
1.The only people who don't fail are those that don't try. Never stepping out of your comfort zone is a sure way to avoid failure, and many people do just that out of fear that failure will ruin them. If you've failed, it means you've taken a chance.
2.You've reached the end of one leg of the journey. Failures aren't the end of the road. They're just a mile marker to your ultimate goals. Now that this phase of your journey is over, you can get started on the next.
3.You can learn from your mistakes. If you fail to accomplish something, you've learned one way that it can't be accomplished. Process of elimination leads you closer to the "right" way to accomplish it. Failure is always a learning experience, and the best entrepreneurs recognize that.
4.You have an opportunity to reflect. Beyond your mistakes, failure gives you an opportunity to reexamine the problem you're trying to solve, and your overall approach thus far. It's an opportunity for personal growth.
5.You'll have a good story to tell. You might feel ashamed of failure for a day, a month, or even longer, but once you get over that hump, you'll find it to be an amusing anecdote--especially for when you eventually find success.
Don't beat yourself up over it. If you've experienced failure, take whatever you can from the experience, and move on to bigger and better things.
Jose Vasquez is a serial entrepreneur and tech enthusiast dedicated to helping startup technology companies get the direction and momentum they need to succeed. As the founder of Build. Brand. Blast., Jose has established a collective resource for tech entrepreneurs to consult when brainstorming, creating, launching, or expanding a new business. Jose is also the founder and CEO of Quez Media Marketing, a marketing firm that combines technology and creativity to help new and growing companies get the results they need.
Jose graduated from Goldman Sachs' 10,000 Small Businesses program. Goldman Sachs is a partner of the What Is Working: Small Businesses section.
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