Thanks for sharing this interview, there’s lots of really interesting ideas here.

However there was one point in particular that I had a problem with I was surprised to hear Barry imply that the approach to failure in the US is somehow more positive or desirable than the approach in Europe. It’s a pretty sweeping statement which whitewashes over some very complex issues. (Barry also mentions Asia, but I’m not familiar enough with the business culture there to comment).
For example, bankruptcy laws may be a lot more permissive in the US, but there’s a flip side to that too. What’s so admirable about being able to run up huge debts, maybe even losing other people’s money in the process, only then to write it off with little or no consequence, free to repeat the cycle all over again?! Isn’t this very attitude at the root of the current economic crisis?!

Barry also contradicts his own point by listing examples of Brits (i.e. people in Europe) who have bounced back from failure, e.g. J.K. Rowling and Simon Cowell.

I don’t necessarily disagree that failure is viewed differently in the US and Europe, I just think the picture is a LOT more complex and it’s misguided and short-sighted to imply otherwise.

Perhaps a specific example will help. In my field it is much easier to make the escape and go freelance in the UK, for example, than in the US. This is because ‘failure’ does not mean my kids are going to go without a good education or basic healthcare. My colleagues and I don’t see this as sponging off the government. Rather we consider that the *society* in which we live has chosen to trust and invest in its people, and therefore shares in our failures (i.e. welfare) AND our successes (i.e. taxes). Whether this is better or worse than the US approach is ultimately a matter of personal (political) opinion.

Either way, as Barry correctly says, it’s about taking responsibility for your own success – regardless of which culture you are a part of, you have to make things work for you.

I loved the postcast with Barry Moltz – particularly the idea that failure isn’t necessarily there to teach us a lesson, sometimes it just happens. And then happens again. And again. I’ve listened to a few of your podcasts now (Nathan Bowers and Tim Berry) – they are all helpful and info-packed. Thanks so much!

Too often we are flip about how the successful use their failures as a learning experience. It obscures what a gut-wrenching experience it is to go through — even for the successful. You are doing a great service by pointing this out. Your book is another great resource that Pam has pointed out for those looking to escape their cubicles.

Years ago, as it was becoming evident that I would have to part ways with my business partner and childhood friend, I started each work day by puking. The weight of the world felt like it would crush me. That’s what failure feels like when you’re going through it. I don’t know of a magic formula that got me through it, but it does help to know that it’s a common experience. That knowledge helps to find the strength to put one foot in front of the other. Do that enough times and you walk out of the situation rather than being trapped by it.

It’s years later and I’m still self-employed. Over the years my business has morphed into something completely different and more sustainable. That too was part of the process. It’s still a struggle, but it’s a struggle I enjoy. I like what the process has made me become. I’m more knowledgeable, resilient, and resourceful than I would have been without the experience. I’m thankful for ALL the experiences that have gotten me here, both good and bad. The thankfulness, however, only comes in hindsight. No one is thankful for such experiences while going through them.