Failure … Version N.n

My friend Jay, once told me that when ever his wife speaks with him, she starts with a number followed by the content of the matter she wishes to communicate. On asking him the reason, he clarified that the number mentioned at the start of the communication is in fact the progressive count of the number of times she has reiterated the speech act earlier. So if it is a request, the number would indicate the count she has made the same request earlier, without desired results. 

She acts so under a belief that Jay, her husband does not pay enough attention to what she communicates with him. The counting of attempts brings out a distinction to the speech act. It creates a mood of shame resulting in Jay responding to the speech act.

The other day I attended a networking session of Social Entrepreneurs. There was a brain storming about the activities which could be incorporated in the successive meetings. One of the attendees mentioned that Entrepreneurs are shy to talk about their past failures. 

Failures are often looked down upon. Naturally, Entrepreneurs in early stage are shy to speak out. He further put forth an idea that the group would glorify failures. It is thus acknowledging that the Entrepreneur is active and trying generatively further to succeed. So if we start numbering the failures (and here I mean the failed attempts) won’t it be an acknowledgment of persistence of the person? 

Why don’t we all introspect? Introspect upon the number of failed attempts. Let us number our iterations. The practice of numbering creates a distinction as it created in the mind of Jay. Take for example; I am trying to close a deal and have drafted a quotation for my client. If I am unable to close the deal despite “N” number of revision in quotations, the value “N” might just create a consciousness for the customer at how persistently I pursued the inquiry.

So if I don’t generate an order at the end, I have something to pat my back : My “N” persistent efforts . Indirectly, I attribute the failure to the attempt and not to me.

At the end one can say, " I have not failed, my “N”th attempt failed !"

Amol Joshi