The overwhelming focus on success drowns out valuable insights from failure. Becoming an expert performer is a two way street. If you don't know how to lose you won't know how to win.
Successful people often tell a compelling and complete success story. We know they may have connected dots that don’t actually connect. There is a social bias to look like a winner and have a story about winning. This is not helpful to the growth of expert performance.
The learning from success is part of the picture but the learning from failure is a key.
I remember interviewing a candidate for an Olympic innovation programme. Exceptional qualifications, multiple languages and world class resume. "What have you learned from failure"; answer "I have never failed". A learning gap bigger than the winners story!
What was expected, what happened and what was learned? Win or Lose!
Are you learning from both sides of your story?
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