Entrepreneurs think of failure the way most people think of learning - Peter Sims
Pulled from the IdeaFestival video vault, "Little Bets" author Peter Sims describes a creative approach to business success during his 2012 talk. It's offered in full here.
You'll hear a few ideas that resonated with me. One, “having the answer for everything is disempowering.”
Secondly, an “illusion of rationality” prevents optimal outcomes because instead of being open to the errors needed to get there, people will seek the data to support their points.
Real breakthroughs simply cannot be predicted.
And Sims relays an idea by Jerry Seinfeld on the high wire act of stand-up comedy that appeals to me: “comedy comes closest to justice.” To the extend that comedy reveals the essential nature of any situation, I like the idea that experimenters in business world can make their way toward a better, more authentic product or service through trial and error or a series of little bets.
Comedian Chris Bliss made similar points in his full length video from last year.
Sims' talk is perfect for entrepreneurs and artists alike. You can find his book here.
Stay curious!
Wayne