How to fail at everything (and still win)

The Downside Mindset

Before starting anything new, I ask myself one question:

“What's the worst that could happen?”

Not in a doom-and-gloom way.

But actually mapping it out.

Here's what I mean.

The Podcast Experiment

When I started Building Web3, everyone asked:

  • "What if no one listens?"

  • "What if you waste your time?"

  • "What if it doesn't make money?"

But I flipped the idea.

Instead of obsessing over failure, I listed what I'd gain no matter what:

  • Building a content distribution system

  • Learning cold outreach for guest booking

  • Mastering interviewing and public speaking

Even if the podcast flopped, these skills would compound.

The New Venture

Now I'm launching a new company.

(More details coming soon...)

Before going all-in, I ran the same exercise.

If this fails, I still learn to:

  • Raise venture funding

  • Hire and manage an engineering team

  • Master enterprise sales (a bit different than agency sales)

See the pattern?

The upside exists regardless of the outcome.

The Real Risk

Most people never start because they imagine failure as a dead end.

But failure isn't fatal.

Inaction is.

Every time you try something new:

  • Skills stack

  • Network grows

  • Experience compounds

The Modern Edge

Here's what I've learned:

Success isn't about avoiding failure.

It's about ensuring value even when things don't go as planned.

That's true whether you're:

  • Creating content

  • Building a startup

  • Launching a community

Your Move

Before your next venture, try this:

  1. List your worst-case scenarios

  2. Map the guaranteed gains (gainz for the gym bros)

  3. Start before you're ready (the perfect time to start something new is today)

Keep Building,

Jax

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