Failure: The Teacher I Never Asked For, But Always Needed

Learning to Value My Toughest Lessons

Failure and I have a complicated relationship. Like most people, I spent my early career trying to avoid it at all costs — staying up late to double-check every plan, worrying endlessly about what could go wrong.

And yet, time and again, things did go wrong. Projects flopped. Teams stumbled. Ideas that looked perfect on paper fell apart in the real world.

Today, looking back, I realise: every painful misstep taught me more than my biggest wins ever did.

Failures Shaped the Way I Build

Years ago, while leading a product launch, I thought we had everything figured out — a solid roadmap, a confident team, and ambitious promises to stakeholders. We raced ahead, convinced we knew exactly what our users wanted.

When the product hit the market, reality hit back even harder. Our assumptions crumbled in front of real user behaviour. Deadlines missed, budgets stretched, team morale dipped — and there I was, facing my favourite teacher once again: failure.

But here’s the thing. I walked away from that experience with lessons I’ve carried into every project since.

6 Lessons Failure Has Etched in My Mind

1️⃣ Always Begin with “Why”

Before writing a single line of code or making a slide deck, pause. What real problem are you solving? A clear purpose aligns your team and sharpens your strategy.

2️⃣ Bring Engineering and UX to the Table Early

There’s nothing more painful than building something beautiful that can’t be executed well — or building something functional that frustrates real users. Collaboration from day one prevents costly backtracking.

3️⃣ Test Assumptions with Real Users

No matter how much you trust your gut, real people will always surprise you. Testing early and often saves you from fixing avoidable mistakes later.

4️⃣ Stay Honest About Limitations

Overpromising might win short-term applause, but it guarantees long-term headaches. Set realistic expectations, plan for risks, and communicate clearly.

5️⃣ Customers Are Your Secret Weapon

Some of the best product ideas I’ve ever seen didn’t come from boardrooms — they came straight from the people using the product every day. Keep listening.

6️⃣ Measure What Truly Matters

If you’re not tracking it, you’re not improving it. Good metrics cut through the noise and keep teams focused on what really moves the needle.

Why I’m Grateful for Every Setback

No one enjoys failing. I certainly don’t. But each stumble has shaped me into a better builder, a more thoughtful leader, and a humbler human being.

I’ve learned to see failure not as a verdict, but as feedback. And feedback, if you’re willing to accept it, is an unbeatable advantage.

A Thought for You

If you’re reading this while nursing a fresh failure — maybe a project that fell apart, a pitch that bombed, or a decision that backfired — take a breath.

Ask yourself: What did this teach me that success never would have?

Capture that answer. You’ll thank your toughest teacher later.