{"id":35722,"date":"2016-12-09T01:00:20","date_gmt":"2016-12-09T09:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?page_id=35722"},"modified":"2016-12-09T01:16:46","modified_gmt":"2016-12-09T09:16:46","slug":"fail-big","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/fail-big\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Fail Big"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"cindy
NYC, 2016 #cindyproject<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dear friend,<\/p>\n

I want to write you a letter on the importance of dreaming big, and failing big.<\/p>\n

Life is too short for you to think small.<\/p>\n

One of the greatest things about being a human being is our capacity to dream. Our capacity to think of ideas that take us to the moon (literally).<\/p>\n

At Google, they call this \u00e2\u20ac\u0153moonshot thinking.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Rather than thinking of small incremental advancements, seek to make 10x improvements. To either innovate and create something totally new, or to either take what already exists, and make it 10x better.<\/p>\n

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t limit your mind<\/h2>\n

The great thing about thinking big is that you break out your cage of self-imposed limits.<\/p>\n

You never know what you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re capable of, unless you push your limits. And the sky is the limit.<\/p>\n

The zen of powerlifting<\/h3>\n

One of the things I am passionate about is powerlifting. Essentially the concept is to try to lift the maximum weight you can (once).<\/p>\n

Generally the lifts include deadlift, squat, and benchpress.<\/p>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m a big fan of the deadlift, because (for me) it is the safest exercise to lift a heavy weight. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve injured myself in bench press a lot in the past (shoulders are prone to injury), and you also need someone to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153spot\u00e2\u20ac\u009d you. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m a big fan of squats, but the problem with squats is that if you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have the proper equipment, it is hard to attempt higher weights.<\/p>\n

A deadlift is simple. You have a heavy barbell on the ground, and you just try to lift it up to waist-level.<\/p>\n

For me, deadlifting (and powerlifting) is less about my body \u00e2\u20ac\u201d it is more about my mind. It is about pushing my limits. It is about trying to make small incremental improvements over a long period of time.<\/p>\n

For example, when I do deadlifts, I try to increase my weight by at least 5 pounds each week. Some weeks I increase my maximum lift, and some weeks I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t.<\/p>\n

But over the last 10 years (I started deadlifting at 18, now I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m 28) I increased my maximum weight from 135 lbs to 425+ lbs. My goal was always to deadlift \u00e2\u20ac\u01534 plates\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (four 45lb plates on each side of the bar), and once I hit that goal, I wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t quite sure what to do. I thought I would never be able to do that much. But even now, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m still constantly pushing my limits \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and it has amazed me how my body hasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t stopped adapting.<\/p>\n

Going to Mars with Elon Musk<\/h2>\n

One of my biggest inspirations of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153moonshot thinking\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is Elon Musk. He literally plans on taking humankind to Mars. Talk about thinking big.<\/p>\n

Not only that, but he has already taken humankind to the next level \u00e2\u20ac\u201d with renewable energy, SolarCity, and Tesla.<\/p>\n

How did Elon Musk do it? With \u00e2\u20ac\u0153first principles\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d a physics principle. The concept is this: you question the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153laws\u00e2\u20ac\u009d of the universe from ground-up. You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think via analogies, comparisons, or metaphors. Rather, you start off your thinking \u00e2\u20ac\u0153blank slate\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and challenge all your own assumptions.<\/p>\n

So in practical terms, if you want to start your own business, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t study what others have done before you. Otherwise you won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t innovate. You will just copy what others have done before you.<\/p>\n

Rather, you want to dream big, and take massive action in your life to make your dream happen.<\/p>\n

Shoot for the stars<\/h2>\n

The way to dream big? Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be afraid to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153fail big\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n

The bigger your dreams, the bigger your chance of failing. And that is okay. It is better to fail big, than to never try at all.<\/p>\n

Not only that, but if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re shooting for the stars, it is better to lose fuel in the air, than never leaving the ground.<\/p>\n

How to fail big<\/h2>\n

Of course I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to give all this inspirational hoo-ha without giving some practical ideas and tips. Here are some things which I have been trying to integrate into my life, to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153fail big\u00e2\u20ac\u009d:<\/p>\n

1. Put yourself on the same level as the titans<\/h3>\n

Some of my biggest inspirations include Elon Musk and Steve Jobs. They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been able to innovate in technology and the arts \u00e2\u20ac\u201d probably 100x more than any \u00e2\u20ac\u0153normal\u00e2\u20ac\u009d person.<\/p>\n

I always think about them, read their interviews, and study what they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve done.<\/p>\n

I try to put myself on their level. This helps me break out of my small cage of thinking. It helps me think \u00e2\u20ac\u0153at scale\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. It helps me think of how I can better empower humanity.<\/p>\n

Not only that, but I realize that these guys have failed big. Elon Musk was on the verge of bankruptcy after Space X failed some major launches. Steve Jobs was kicked out of Apple, and his \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Next\u00e2\u20ac\u009d computer company was also on the verge of bankruptcy.<\/p>\n

2. Adjust yourself to poverty<\/h3>\n

The biggest fear we have of failure isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t being seen as a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153failure\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d but it is death.<\/p>\n

We fear that we will fail, our loved ones will depart us, we will become homeless, and we will starve to death.<\/p>\n

But honestly, very few people ever die anymore due to hunger. There are millions of malnourished people \u00e2\u20ac\u201d but if anything, most of the world dies from issues dealing with obesity, not poverty.<\/p>\n

I have an irrational fear of dying \u00e2\u20ac\u201d where all my fears come from.<\/p>\n

But honestly, the worst<\/em> that will ever happen is poverty. And I grew up not knowing if my mom could pay rent each month, and if we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d become homeless. And honestly, I was still fine.<\/p>\n

Even nowadays, I try to live below<\/em> my limits\u00e2\u20ac\u201d in \u00e2\u20ac\u0153simulated\u00e2\u20ac\u009d poverty.<\/p>\n

For example, for a week, I did nothing but literally eat eggs, drink water and coffee, and not going out. In the states, I can buy 12 eggs for around $2. Water is practical free. And coffee (my luxury) can be bought for around $1-2 a cup.<\/p>\n

And honestly, I was fine. As long as I had access to free wifi (often included at coffee shops) I could still do my creative work.<\/p>\n

So I often think to myself\u00e2\u20ac\u201d why do I fear failure? Do I fear poverty?<\/p>\n

But by living in \u00e2\u20ac\u0153simulated poverty\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d I have mentally adjusted myself to the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153worst case scenario\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and honestly, it isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t so bad.<\/p>\n

3. 1% daily improvement<\/h3>\n

To think big, it is a slow and arduous climb. But the important thing is to always put one foot in front of the other, and steadily climb uphill.<\/p>\n

I see life as a long and arduous hike, rather than just a short sprint.<\/p>\n

If you can continue to improve yourself, your mind, your ideas, your business, your photography, your art by 1% on a daily basis\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you will be able to climb to the highest heights after a few years.<\/p>\n

This means to be patient, to think in terms of decades, not years.<\/p>\n

And paradoxically, it means to also always think about death. To not waste a single day. To think that each day is literally your last day on earth. And that means that you spend each day making that 1% improvement in life, and marching forwards.<\/p>\n

Conclusion: Think bold<\/h2>\n

Be bold and fearless. What do you have to fear? You won\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t die. The worst that will happen is others will criticize you and make fun of you.<\/p>\n

But wouldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t you rather be someone who thought really big, and failed big, rather than never tried?<\/p>\n

Anyone who tries to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153fail big\u00e2\u20ac\u009d is heroic. Anyone who criticizes you is just a coward, who was too afraid to think big (and even more afraid of failing).<\/p>\n

Be strong,
\nEric<\/p>\n

Learn more:\u00c2\u00a0Entrepreneurship ><\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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