@thomasknoll

I now give you permission to fail better

Practice is the main determinant of success in a particular field.

[ via Scott Adams – The Illusion of Winning ]

Most people I’ve read or listened to recently discussing game mechanics focus on the value of incremental rewards, but I actually believe the correlation between the value of gaming and being “good at life” has more to do with permission (even expectation) for structured failure.

Unfortunately, outside of trying to pwn n00bs or launching a startup, your average person has almost no opportunity to iterate through structured failure. We love games, because that is one of the few experiences where we can practice the next step after failure.

I’m wondering if you could describe one of your core daily functions, and how you might be able to practice failing better to improve – aka “level in life”?

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2 responses to “I now give you permission to fail better”

  1. Warner Onstine Avatar
    Warner Onstine

    I find that in just being willing to try new things you can “level up” in life. Most of our problems stem from a fear of trying new things, which tends to stunt our emotional and psychological growth as human beings. By getting rid of that “fear of failing” that we tend to have as adults we free ourselves to go out and experience life. It’s scary sometimes, but worth doing!

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  2. thomasknoll Avatar
    thomasknoll

    I’m pondering how to help myself and others overcome that fear by practicing the ‘getting up again, and giving it another shot’.

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