I call our fifth principle Encouraging Creativity & Learning Through Failure, because I believe we fundamentally misunderstand the word "failure." Many people see it as just that—an end, a verdict. But over time, I've learned its true, invaluable meaning.
The Beginning of Understanding
This lesson started in my very first job as an import-export manager, working for the same "Samurai boss" I've mentioned. I made many mistakes. I caused shipment delays. I brought a factory to a near out-of-stock crisis. Yet, my boss was always gentle, because he knew I was trying my absolute best and that many of these challenges were simply beyond my abilities at the time. He understood that failure wasn't just possible; it was necessary for growth.
The Annual Review That Changed Everything
I'll never forget what he wrote on my annual review. The review was positive, and I was confused, so I asked him about it. He looked at me and said:
"It's true, you are the one who has caused many of the mistakes and failures in this company, perhaps the most."
He paused, then continued,
"However, you never make the same mistake twice. You always learn from it, and because of that, you grow exponentially. So, I hope you will keep making mistakes and failing in the future. I have great hope for you."
His words changed my perspective forever. There's a Japanese saying that you learn more from failure than from success, and my life has proven this to be true.
The Deeper Truth
I've had three failed start-ups, each painful in its own way, but each one caused me to grow in ways success never could have. In my tech career, I've experienced every kind of failure you can imagine: bad code, bad architecture, bad team dynamics.
And here is the crucial lesson: When I experience a failure firsthand, I don't just know that something is wrong; I understand why it is wrong, on a level that nobody could ever just tell me in a classroom. I've seen many people who are so afraid to fail that their abilities stagnate.
This leads to the core of this principle. I've always said this: It is normal to fail, as long as you know why you failed. But it is dangerous to be right, if you don't know why you were right.
Unexamined success can be a bigger trap than examined failure.
That is why our organization will be a place that encourages creativity and experimentation, even when it carries the risk of failure. We will foster an environment where failure isn't a final judgment but a critical data point—the most powerful lesson on the path to mastery. We want our learners, our contributors, and our team to "savor the insights" from their mistakes, because that is where the deepest, most lasting learning happens.