Don't fail fast -- fail mindfully | Leticia Gasca

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Yanyan Hong

[This talk contains mature language Viewer discretion is advised]

〔本演說內容含有成人用語， 請觀眾自行斟酌〕

If we traveled back to the year 800 BC,

如果我們回到西元前 800 年，

in Greece, we would see that merchants whose businesses failed

在希臘，我們會看到 經商失敗的商人

were forced to sit in the marketplace with a basket over their heads.

被迫坐在市場裡， 在頭上放一個籃子。

In premodern Italy,

在現代化之前的義大利，

failed business owners, who had outstanding debts,

欠下大筆債務的失敗業主

were taken totally naked to the public square

會被全裸地帶到公共廣場上，

where they had to bang their butts against a special stone

在廣場上，他們得要 用屁股撞擊一塊特殊的石頭，

while a crowd jeered at them.

同時旁邊的群眾會嘲笑他們。

In the 17th century in France,

在 17 世紀的法國，

failed business owners were taken to the center of the market,

失敗的業主會被帶到市場中央，

where the beginning of their bankruptcy was publicly announced.

在那裡會公開宣佈他們的破產。

And in order to avoid immediate imprisonment,

如果不想要立即被監禁，

they had to wear a green bonnet

他們就得戴上綠色的無邊呢帽，

so that everyone knew they were a failure.

讓所有人知道他們是失敗者。

Of course, these are extreme examples.

當然，這些是極端的例子。

But it is important to remember

但，很重要的是要記得，

that when we excessively punish those who fail,

當我們過度懲罰失敗的人時，

we stifle innovation and business creation,

我們就扼殺了創新和創業，

the engines of economic growth in any country.

而在任何國家， 這些都是經濟成長的引擎。

Time has passed, and today we don't publicly humiliate failed entrepreneurs.

隨著時間過去，如今我們 不再公開羞辱失敗的創業家。

And they don't broadcast their failures on social media.

他們也不會在社交媒體上 廣播他們的失敗。

In fact, I think that all of us can relate with the pain of failure.

事實上，我認為我們所有人 都能夠對失敗的痛苦感同身受。

But we don't share the details of those experiences.

我們都有類似經驗，只是細節不同。

And I totally get it, my friends, I have also been there.

我完全能夠理解，我的朋友們， 我也走過這條路。

I had a business that failed

我也有過失敗的事業，

and sharing that story was incredibly hard.

要分享那個故事是非常困難的事。

In fact, it required seven years, a good dose of vulnerability

事實上，它花了我七年的時間， 歷經脆弱和傷痛，

and the company of my friends.

及朋友的陪伴才得以撫慰。

This is my failure story.

以下是我的失敗故事。

When I was in college, studying business, I met a group of indigenous women.

在大學的時候，我讀商學， 我遇到了一群原住民女子。

They lived in a poor rural community in the state of Puebla, in central Mexico.

她們住在墨西哥中部普埃布拉州 一個貧窮的鄉村社區。

They made beautiful handmade products.

她們會做很漂亮的手工製品。

And when I met them and I saw their work,

當我遇到她們且看到她們的作品時，

I decided I wanted to help.

我決定要助她們一臂之力。

With some friends, I cofounded a social enterprise

我和一些朋友共同創辦了 一間社會企業，

with the mission to help the women create an income stream

其使命是要協助女性創造收入流，

and improve their quality of life.

並改善她們的生活品質。

We did everything by the book,

我們一切都照章行事，

as we had learned in business school.

照我們在商學院學到的來做。

We got investors,

我們找到投資者，

we spent a lot of time building the business and training the women.

我們花了很多時間打造 這個事業並訓練女性。

But soon we realized we were novices.

但很快地，我們就發現， 我們只是新手。

The handmade products were not selling,

手工製的產品賣不好，

and the financial plan we had made was totally unrealistic.

我們所做的財務規劃完全不切實際。

In fact, we worked for years without a salary,

事實上，我們做了 好多年都沒有領薪水，

hoping that a miracle would happen,

希望奇蹟能發生，

that magically a great buyer would arrive

會像變魔術一樣， 有位很棒的買家到來，

and she would make the business profitable.

且她會讓這個事業獲利。

But that miracle never happened.

但那個奇蹟從來沒有發生。

In the end, we had to close the business,

最終，我們得結束這個事業，

and that broke my heart.

那讓我的心都碎了。

I started everything to create a positive impact

我開始做這一切的目的 是想要創造出正面的影響，

on the life of the artisans.

改變工匠的生活。

And I felt that I have done the opposite.

而我的感覺卻是我完全反其道而行。

I felt so guilty

我很有罪惡感，

that I decided to hide this failure

所以我決定把這次失敗藏起來，

from my conversations and my resume for years.

多年來不在對談中提到它， 不在履歷中寫到它。

I didn't know other failed entrepreneurs,

我不認識其他失敗的創業家，

and I thought I was the only loser in the world.

我以為我是世界上唯一的失敗者。

One night, seven years later, I was out with some friends

七年後，有一天晚上， 我和一些朋友一起出去，

and we were talking about the life of the entrepreneur.

我們談到了創業家的生活。

And of course, the issue of failure came out.

當然，我們談到了 「失敗」這個議題。

I decided to confess to my friends the story of my failed business.

我決定要向我的朋友坦誠 我創業失敗的故事。

And they shared similar stories.

而他們也分享了類似的故事。

In that moment, a thought became really clear in my mind:

在那一刻，我腦中的 一個想法變得十分清楚：

all of my friends were failures.

我所有的朋友都是失敗者。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Being more serious, that night I realized

說真的，那天晚上我了解到，

that A: I wasn't the only loser in the world,

第一，我不是世界上唯一的失敗者，

and B: we all have hidden failures.

第二，我們都會把失敗藏起來。

Please tell me if that is not true.

如果不是如此，請告訴我。

That night was like an exorcism for me.

對我來說，那晚就像是 做了驅魔一樣。

I realized that sharing your failures makes you stronger, not weaker.

我了解到，分享你的失敗 會讓你更強，而非更弱。

And being open to my vulnerability

開放心胸地面對我的脆弱

helped me connect with others in a deeper and more meaningful way

讓我能夠用一種更深刻、 更有意義的方式和其他人連結，

and embrace life lessons I wouldn't have learned previously.

並擁抱我以前不可能 學到的人生教訓。

As a consequence of this experience

結果在分享了這些

of sharing stories of businesses that didn't work,

經歷事業失敗的故事之後，

we decided to create a platform of events

我們決定要創建一個活動平台，

to help others share their failure stories.

來協助其他人分享他們的失敗故事。

And we called it Fuckup Nights.

我們把它叫做「搞砸之夜」。

Years later, we also created a research center

幾年後，我們也創辦了 一個研究中心，

devoted to the story of failure

把心力投注在失敗故事，

and its implications on business, people and society

以及失敗對於事業、人、社會意義上，

and as we love cool names, we called it the Failure Institute.

因為我們喜歡很酷的名字， 所以我們叫它「失敗會所」。

It has been surprising to see

很讓人驚訝的是，

我們看見當創業家站上台

that when an entrepreneur stands on a stage

and shares a story of failure,

分享失敗的故事時，

she can actually enjoy that experience.

她其實是很享受那個經驗的。

It doesn't have to be a moment of shame and embarrassment,

在台上的時刻 並不一定要和過去一樣

as it used to be in the past.

感到羞恥和不好意思。

It is an opportunity to share lessons learned

這是一個機會，分享學到的教訓，

and build empathy.

並建立同理心。

We have also discovered

我們也發現，

that when the members of a team share their failures, magic happens.

當團隊成員分享自己的失敗經驗時，

會有神奇的事發生。

Bonds grow stronger and collaboration becomes easier.

人與人的連結變得更強， 合作也變容易了。

Through our events and research projects,

透過我們的活動及研究專案計畫，

we have found some interesting facts.

我們發現了一些有趣的事。

For instance, that men and women react in a different way

比如，在事業失敗之後，

男性和女性的反應是不同的。

after the failure of a business.

The most common reaction among men

男性當中最常見的反應

is to start a new business within one year of failure,

是在失敗後的一年內 就再創辦一個新的事業，

but in a different sector,

但會換一個行業，

while women decide to look for a job

而女性則會決定去找工作，

and postpone the creation of a new business.

暫緩創辦新事業的計畫。

Our hypothesis is that this happens

對於這背後的原因，我們的假設是

because women tend to suffer more from the impostor syndrome.

女性比較會受 冒名頂替症候群的影響。

We feel that we need something else to be a good entrepreneur.

我們覺得自己需要其他東西， 才能夠成為一個好的創業家。

But I have seen that in many, many cases women have everything that's needed.

但我看過非常非常多案例， 都證明了女性已經有所需的一切。

We just need to take the step.

我們只需要踏出腳步。

And in the case of men,

至於男性，

it is more common to see that they feel they have enough knowledge

比較容易看見 他們認為自己有足夠的知識，

and just need to put it in practice in another place with better luck.

只需要實際用在另一個 運氣好些的地方即可。

Another interesting finding has been

還有另一項有趣的發現，

that there are regional differences on how entrepreneurs cope with failure.

創業家處理失敗的方式， 有區域性的差異。

For instance, the most common reaction

比如，在美洲大陸上，

after the failure of a business in the American continent

事業失敗之後最常見的反應

is to go back to school.

就是回學校求學。

While in Europe, the most common reaction is to look for a therapist.

在歐洲，最常見的反應 則是去找治療師。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

We're not sure which is a better reaction after the failure of a business,

我們不確定在事業失敗之後 產生哪種反應比較好，

but this is something we will study in the future.

但我們在未來會研究這個議題。

Another interesting finding has been

另一項有趣的發現是

the profound impact that public policy has on failed entrepreneurs.

公共政策對於失敗的創業家 有著很深刻的影響。

For instance, in my country, in Mexico,

比如，在我的國家墨西哥，

the regulatory environment is so hard,

監管環境非常嚴格，

that closing a business can take you a lot of time and a lot of money.

連要結束事業也要 花很多的時間和金錢。

Let's begin with the money.

咱們先從金錢談起。

In the best possible scenario,

在最好的可能情境中，

meaning you don't have problems with partners,

也就是說，你和合作夥伴、供應商、

providers, clients, employees,

客戶、員工都沒任何糾紛，

in the best possible scenario,

在最好的情境中，

officially closing a business will cost you 2,000 dollars.

一個事業正式結束營業 要花兩千美元。

Which is a lot of money in Mexico.

這在墨西哥是很大一筆錢。

Someone who earns the minimum wage

收入是最低薪資的人，

would have to work for 15 months to save this amount.

得要工作十五個月 才能存到這筆錢。

Now, let's talk about the time.

接著，咱們來談談時間。

As you may know, in most of the developing world,

你們可能知道， 在大部分開發中的國家裡，

the average life expectancy of a business is two years.

企業的平均壽命是兩年。

In Mexico, the process of officially closing a business takes two years.

在墨西哥，正式結束 營業的流程就要花兩年。

What happens when the average life expectancy of a business

當企業的平均壽命和經營失敗而倒閉

is so similar to the time it will take you to close it if it doesn't work?

所需要的時間這麼接近， 會發生什麼事？

Of course, this discourages business creation

當然，會讓人不敢創業，

and promotes informal economy.

且促進非正式（地下）經濟。

In fact, econometric research has proved

事實上，計量經濟研究已經證明，

that if the process of declaring bankruptcy takes less time and less money,

如果宣告破產所要花的 時間和金錢都能減少，

more new firms will enter the market.

就會有更多新公司進入市場。

For this reason, in 2017,

基於這個理由，在 2017 年，

we proposed a series of public policy recommendations

我們提出了一系列公共政策建議，

for the procedure of officially closing businesses in Mexico.

處理墨西哥企業正式結束營運的流程。

For a whole year,

一整年，

we worked with entrepreneurs from all over the country

我們接觸到來自全國各地的創業家，

and with Congress.

以及國會。

And the good news is that we managed to help change the law.

好消息是，我們成功協助改變法律。

Yay!

好啊！

(Applause)

（掌聲）

The idea is that when the new regulation comes into force,

我們的想法是，當新規制上路之後，

entrepreneurs will be able to close their businesses in an online procedure

創業家能夠透過線上程序 來結束其企業的營運，

that is faster and inexpensive.

速度更快，成本更低。

(Sighs)

（嘆氣）

On the night we invented Fuckup Nights,

在我們發明「搞砸之夜」的那晚，

we never imagined that the movement would grow this big.

我們從來沒有想到這項運動 能夠成長到這麼壯大。

We are in 80 countries now.

現在我們進駐了八十個國家。

In that moment, our only intention

在那時，我們唯一的意圖，

was to put the topic of failure on the table.

就是要把「失敗」 這個主題拿出來談。

To help our friends see that failure is something we must talk about.

要協助我們的朋友了解 我們必須要去談論失敗。

It is not a cause of humiliation, as it used to be in the past,

不像過去， 現在失敗不是羞辱的成因，

or a cause of celebration, as some people say.

也不像一些人所說的， 是慶祝的成因。

In fact, I want to confess something.

事實上，我想要坦言一件事。

Every time I listen to Silicon Valley types or students

每當我聽到矽谷型的人或是學生

bragging about failing fast and often like it's no big deal, I cringe.

把快速地失敗拿來自誇，說得好像 那沒什麼大不了的，我就會畏縮。

Because I think that there is a dark side on the mantra "fail fast."

因為我認為「快速地失敗」 這句真言有著它黑暗的一面。

Of course, failing fast is a great way to accelerate learning

當然，快速地失敗是 加速學習的一個好方法，

and avoid wasting time.

可以避免浪費時間。

But I fear that when we present rapid failure

但我擔心當我們讓創業家看到

to entrepreneurs as their one and only option,

快速地失敗是他們的唯一選擇，

we might be promoting laziness.

我們可能是在促進「怠惰」。

We might be promoting that entrepreneurs give up too easily.

我們可能會促使創業家太輕言放棄。

I also fear that the culture of rapid failure

我也害怕快速地失敗的文化

could be minimizing the devastating consequences

可能會讓事業失敗的 慘烈後果被最小化。

of the failure of a business.

For instance, when my social enterprise died,

比如，當我的社會企業陣亡時，

the worst part was that I had to go back to the indigenous community

最糟糕的部分是我得要 回到原住民社區，

and tell the women that the business had failed

告訴那些女子，事業失敗了，

and it was my fault.

而且是我的錯。

For some people this could be seen like a great learning opportunity for me,

有些人可能會覺得這像是 一個能讓我學習的機會，

but the truth is that the closure of this business

但事實是，這個事業的倒閉

represented much more than that.

代表的意義並不只有那些。

It meant that the women would stop receiving an income

它意味著那些女子不會再得到收入，

that they really needed.

而她們很需要收入。

For this reason, I want to propose something.

出於這個原因，我有個提議。

I want to propose that just as we put aside the idea

我想要提議，就如同我們丟棄了

公開羞辱失敗創業家的想法一樣，

of publicly humiliating failed entrepreneurs,

we must put aside the idea that failing fast is always the best.

我們也必須要丟棄 「最好能快速地失敗」的想法。

And I want to propose a new mantra:

我還想要提出新的真言：

fail mindfully.

小心地失敗。

We must remember that businesses are made of people,

我們必須要記住， 事業也是由人所形成的，

businesses are not entities that appear and disappear

事業並不是神奇地出現又消失，

magically without consequences.

且不會造成任何後果的實體。

When a firm dies, some people will lose their jobs.

當一家公司陣亡， 有些人會失去工作。

And others will lose their money.

還有些人會失去金錢。

And in the case of social and green enterprises,

如果是社會及綠色企業的情況，

the death of this business can have a negative impact

事業陣亡可能會造成負面的衝擊，

on the ecosystems or communities they were trying to serve.

影響到它們試圖服務的 生態系統或社區。

But what does it mean to fail mindfully?

但，小心地失敗是什麼意思？

It means being aware of the impact, of the consequences

它的意思是，要知道 那事業如果失敗了，

會有什麼影響，有什麼後果。

of the failure of that business.

Being aware of the lessons learned.

要知道學到了什麼教訓。

And being aware of the responsibility

也要知道我們有責任

to share those learnings with the world.

要把學到的教訓和世界分享。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）