WBW 13: The Only Way to Succeed is to Have Failures

Failure is a non-negotiable actuality of life and is sometimes a challenge not to be dissuaded to pursue what we are passionate about. But the truth is, it’s okay to fail. In fact, most of the successful people we have interviewed have stumbled several times before finally being able to do what they love. They take risks, learn from failures, move on and move up. In this special episode, we take a glimpse of the biggest failures of each speaker, and afterwards show how they have used their failures as stepping stones towards success.

Show notes:

Greatest Failures

Mannix Chua

• Rebeliously left the household and family before years after he graduated from college.
• It was a very difficult time because he assumed that his parents were always against him.
  

Dwight Co

• Not spending enough time with my family

Reese Fernandez

• Failure is a culture in her home: failed family life, failed entrepreneur dad, failed mom
  
• So introduced to failure that there is no way to go but up
  

Aman Santos

• During his childhood, listened to the whole family saying that he should be a doctor because the whole family was brought up to be in the medical field
• Common for most Filipino families, where you will end up being a shadow of your parents or grandparents
  

TJ Agulto

• Small moments where he would short sell myself
• "Not forgive myself for the things that I have done or lack of self forgiveness"
  
• Lack of self appreciation
  

Aaron Co

• Back in 1st year High School, he failed math in the 1st 3 quarters and had to get a grade of 95 to not have summer classes
• Studied really hard but only got a 92 and still had to take summer classes
• Realized that If he did better or worked harder in the first 3 quarters, it would have been easier make it
  

Mark Ruiz

• First couple of businesses that went under after leaving the corporate life
• The business that failed were: 1) cellphone related business, 2) training for call centers
• Really tried very hard, but they just didn’t make it

Konrad Chua

• A bad decision that led to a failed investment not long ago
• Still haunts him until now but has to work hard to overcome that failure

Earl Yu

• Getting out of the old Earl, with a limited belief system
• Used to believe that life is just inside the box, day in and day out just doing the same things
  
• Used to believe that happiness and success will find itself to me
  

That's a crap-full of failures. But that’s life. Move on.

Learning from Failures, moving towards success

Bam Aquino

• One of my greatest strengths is that nothing can really get me down
• Even if things don’t go your way, you have the strength to persist
• It’s the failures that you have that will make you try harder next time to make it into a success
  

John Sy

• "I don't consider my failures as great. Every failure is something I learn from."

Mark Ruiz

• Transitioning from corporate to failed startups to a real entrepreneur
• Currently has 5 Entrepreneurial Ventures 1) Microventures, Inc. with the Hapinoy program, 2) Rags2Riches, 3) Why Not? Forum, 4) Inovent, and 5) Kolektib.

Mannix Chua

• Worked for his Tita
• Feels that he has to work on his own
• With the help of his parents, he was able to be make a business that grows more successful every year
• "I had to prove to them that I can do more than just that. More than what they expect from me. I have to prove to them that I can stand on my own."

Earl Yu

• "Taking control of my life"
• "Not only being able to provide for the family, but to provide them the finer things in life."

John Sy

• To answer the question differently, when asked what he thinks is the measure of his success, that would be raising his family.

TJ Agulto

• "Allowing myself to be. Allowing myself to be the person that I am. Living a life without fear. Living a life of joy, excitement and celebration."

Aman Santos

• Greatest success would be when he departed from the medical field and went into the one that he loved.

Reese Fernandez

• A good thing about living in an environment of failure is that every success becomes an event to celebrate about.
• Following her dream to become a social entrepreneur.
  
• Though not as materially beneficial, it's a success over her immediate needs, and success for a lot of other people.
• "I measure my success through the lives that is affected by my own success."

Dwight Co

• "Doing what I love to do. Kahit wala pa akong credentials. Kahit sa papel mukha akong tanga lang na kung sino lang. Pero masaya ako kasi I'm doing what I want to do."

Bing Tan

• "Finding something I can wake up to, everyday. And that's what I'm actually doing right now."

Bam Aquino

• "Being able to work in places which I really love. Many of my colleagues and friends, they may earn a little bit more than I do, but very few can say their doing what they love."

Lesson

Failing can never be avoided. Failure is part of life. So move on. Take a risk for yourself and don't fear failing, because...

"The Board" message by Mannix Chua