Understanding the Difference Between Failure and Mistake:
A Transformative Mindset Shift

Greetings,

Today, I'd like to delve into a topic that's close to my heart, one that has the potential to shift your mindset profoundly: the difference between failure and mistake. You might wonder, does it really matter? The answer is a resounding yes!

Firstly, welcome back to consecutive day 1621 of my diary of a Runpreneur. I'm Kevin Brittain, and if you resonate with my mission of saving children's lives by embarking on the ultimate ultramarathon of run blogging on consecutive days, covering a lap of the world barefoot, then do subscribe, share, like, and comment. The more people join our journey, the more funds we raise, and the more lives we save. That's my "why" every single day.

So, what’s the difference between failure and mistake? Why is it so crucial to differentiate between the two, especially in life or entrepreneurship? The distinction lies not in the actions themselves, but in the power and impact of the words.

Humanity has a pervasive fear of failure. We're often ashamed and embarrassed by it. Conversely, mistakes are universally accepted. We talk about learning from our mistakes, but failure? It’s a word that people avoid because it sounds so final and terminal. Yet, here's an important truth: failures and mistakes are essentially the same. They both represent situations where things didn't go as planned.

The fear of failure can be paralysing, especially in the entrepreneurial world. Entrepreneurship demands persistence and resilience more than almost any other path. To succeed as an entrepreneur, you must be willing to face challenges, to endure setbacks, and crucially, to learn from your failures.

In reality, we extract more valuable lessons from our failures than our successes. When something goes wrong, the feedback is often blunt and direct, guiding us to what didn't work. This feedback is the bedrock of growth and development.

Consider this: if we can change our perception and language around failure, we can disarm its fearsome power. I see failure as just a scarier word for mistake. It's a mental shift. By viewing failures as mistakes, we can embrace them, learn from them, and, quite frankly, not be so scared of them. Mistakes, whether gargantuan or minuscule, teach us crucial lessons and push us towards growth.

Think of it this way: every failure, every mistake, is a step on the path to success. The only people who don’t make mistakes are those who don’t try anything new, and consequently, they don’t grow.

So, my advice to you, through this lens of consecutive running and relentless persistence, is to embrace both your failures and mistakes. They are not setbacks but setups for greater comebacks. Accept them, learn from them, and let them propel you to new heights.

Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts. If you have any questions or comments, drop me a line; I respond to everyone. And remember, if my mission resonates with you, help us by subscribing, sharing, liking, and commenting. Together, we can make a significant difference.

Stay positive, stay happy, and keep learning from those mistakes.

Until tomorrow,

Kevin Brittain