The Fallacy of the Fall Over Count

The trick with learning to ski is to start off steady. Making pizza shapes with your skis helps to regulate a comfortable speed for gently coasting down the green slopes.

Of course, quickly you become better at this and you begin measuring progress against the amount of times you fall over.

Two times down the green run without falling over - you're winning.

Quickly you realise this is a fallacy. You're not making progress because you're not pushing yourself.

Progress involves figuring-out parallel turns, perfecting your form, moving on to the blue slopes, falling over, making mistakes, looking stupid, getting in (and out) of sticky situations and pushing yourself.

Only then can you look back at the end of the week in amazement at how far you have come along.

I think we can adopt this method of thinking in business, art and life in general.

Since it’s clear what progress demands, I asked; am I pushing myself enough / challenging the status quo / making mistakes / bashing my elbows / trying something new / figuring things out?

If you’re interested in making a difference, try asking yourself the same.