Hi friends,
Ed Catmull, the co-founder of Pixar, credits the success of the company’s movies to “failure.”
Initially, the films we put together, they’re a mess. It’s like everything else in life — the first time you do it, it’s a mess. Sometimes it’s labeled … “a failure” … but that’s not even the right word to use. It’s just like, you get the first one out, you learn from it, and the only failure is if you don’t learn from it, if you don’t progress.
We’ve all heard a version of this quote before. Failure is the key to growth, and without growth we cannot move forward. However, Pixar has another strategy they implement that makes them successful.
Interestingly, Catmull insisted on dissecting what worked and what didn’t even after producing hit movies like Toy Story, The Incredibles, and Finding Nemo. The theory is that a company runs best when it is continually solving small problems in hopes of avoiding big ones.
Even though Catmull advises this in the context of a large company, we should implement his theory in our daily lives. Small problems we face have indirect consequences, such as souring our mood or losing focus. Instead of brushing seemingly “little issues” we have under the rug, it is better to address it head-on. This way, we have room to thrive and put our best efforts towards things that matter.
Have a great week!
— Rushvi
