How To Never Fail

Failure can only be measured when you know what it is you are trying to achieve.

- Anonymous

The Iranians test fired intercontinental missiles. They rose only as high as 120 miles before exploding.

The US observers gloated at the repeated malfunctions. At the Iranian failures.

Until someone realised 120 miles was the perfect height for a nuclear missile exploded above the United States to trigger an electromagnetic pulse that would destroy electronics on the ground and plunge the country into chaos.

This appears to be a cautionary tale about assuming what ‘success’ is for someone else. If that explanation advances you towards your widget - then happy to help.

My widget is to understand busywork in organisations where three out of four people are disengaged.

The Iranian missile story advances me towards my widget.

The advantage of not declaring our Widget - what we’re aiming for - even to ourselves is:

We can never fail.

Because once I identify what I’m trying to achieve -

I may fail. I probably will fail. Publicly- if I’ve declared it what it is I’m trying to achieve.

Best not to do so. Better to do busywork. And never fail.

To draw my last breath - comforted by knowing that not only did I have a Widget - I built it.

I Never Failed.

Not having a Widget - is Your Widget.