Written for EO by David Disiere.

Fear of failure can have significant sway over entrepreneurs wanting to launch their own startups. But imagine what would be possible if failure were completely and utterly avoidable. Further, imagine what would be possible if failure did not hold anyone back.

I spent decades as a sort of an insurance vagabond, drifting from role to role. This path certainly gave me a much broader view of the industry, and the experience was invaluable for my development as a leader. But it was not easy. To this day, I come into the office ready to listen, observe, and learn because of the time I spent navigating the uncertainties and mistakes of those early days.

Accepting risk as part of entrepreneurship took time. Even now, it can be difficult to deal with ambiguity. But accepting risk as an inevitable part of starting a business is key to your success as an entrepreneur. It’s all in how you frame the challenges and learn to maximize your chances of success. (more…)