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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:
List your worst-case scenarios
Map the guaranteed gains (gainz for the gym bros)
Start before you're ready (the perfect time to start something new is today)
Keep Building,
Jax
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