benefit if you are willing.
Einstein used his menial job to conduct “thought
experiments.” Franklin took his rejection and learned from
it, trying to better understand people and later using what he
learned as a diplomat, turning every shortcoming into
strength. Jobs practiced playing CEO at Pixar, a smaller
company where it was easier to fail, before returning to
Apple to bring it back to life. Failure is the best friend you
will ever have if you learn from it. As Robert Greene wrote
in his book Mastery, “Repeated failure will toughen your
spirit and show you with absolute clarity how things must be
done.”^5
How did Matt McWilliams turn his failure into success?
He certainly didn’t know where he was headed—there was
no plan. When facing failure, Matt was realistic. He didn’t
accept defeat, but neither did he try to push through the
doors that had closed. Instead, he did something creative.
Just as Andrew Mason did, he pivoted, turning in a new
direction and eventually finding his way.
A Season of Failure
Contrary to popular belief, Sam Adams never made beer.
Beyond the Boston lager that bears his name, the world has
largely forgotten who this man was, but to the Founding
Fathers of the United States, he was an important and