Everyone fails at something.
OK, that might not sound like the most uplifting opener for a Monday morning blog post, but that’s because you’re looking it at it wrong.
Everyone fails. Those people who look like they always have their shit together just learned how to hide it. Your failures don’t make you special or odd, they actually make you normal. You’re not the first independent professional to fail at something, and you won’t be the last.
The other reason to cheer up when you fail is that it puts you in a unique position to be a rock star in the coworking community.
I’ll explain.
No one learns anything of value from someone who’s perfect. Except maybe how to resent said perfectionist. Some of our best times together as a community occur when someone shares their really messy failure story, and we figure out how to clean it up. Or at least how to avoid that same mistake in the future.
We talk a lot about the collaboration and socialization that makes coworking so neat. But it’s really our ability to fail and then share what we learned (or are learning) from that unpleasant experience that helps us become better at what we do.
A community where everyone keeps their failures to themselves is shallow and uninteresting. It’s way more fun to be real. Life as an independent is messy and complex, and all we’ve got is each other! We want to see the roughest draft, hear the first/worst idea, and feel the pain of the client you knew you shouldn’t take.
So don’t hold back! Tell us when you feel like bailing and taking an office job. Tell us when you mailed a press release with a typo. 
Tell us when you gave the client too much info in the free consultation. Tell us when you take on a client without a contract…and then get screwed on an invoice. Tell us when you bite off more than you can chew.
When you allow us to experience your failures in all their glory, we not only grow as professionals, we grow together as a community. And that’s why failure is the best part of coworking.
Let’s talk about something that went wrong! Share a notable goof, failure or brain fart from your past, and let’s get to learnin’!
Image Credits: Flickr – styro
RT @CohereLLC Why Failure Is The Best Part Of #Coworking http://ow.ly/4CHnG #freelance #collcons #shareable
Why Failure is the Best Part of Coworking http://j.mp/eUjway via @cohere
I’m embarrassed to admit that when Jeremy was done with my taxes, I had no idea whether I was supposed to pay them from my business or personal bank account. I should add that I’ve been an LLC for over a year. (The answer is personal account).
Beth-I’m sad to admit that when you called me with this question, I didn’t know the answer! AND, as we talked about multiple times, we’re ALL just hacking it together every single day!
I’ve been an LLC almost 10 years, and no one EVER told me that! I have always paid from my biz account.
aaaaaaand, THIS is why coworking works. Glad to offer you a tiny nugget of knowledge today 🙂
More communities need a Failure Conference. Instead of success stories, how about failure stories? http://bit.ly/h43wKN
Why Failure Is The Best Part Of Coworking #coworking http://bit.ly/hEhRsI
RT @maniactive: More communities need a Failure Conference. Instead of success stories, how about failure stories? http://bit.ly/h43wKN
RT @CohereLLC: Why Failure Is The Best Part Of Coworking #coworking http://bit.ly/hEhRsI
RT @maniactive: More communities need a Failure Conference. Instead of success stories, how about failure stories? http://bit.ly/h43wKN
RT @CohereLLC Why Failure Is The Best Part Of #Coworking http://ow.ly/4CHnG #freelance #collcons #shareable
Why Failure Is The Best Part Of Coworking: http://bit.ly/hEhRsI #coworking @CohereLLC
I promise to NEVER, ever, ever offer 2 different values of packages for logos. The customer almost ALWAYS goes for the “budget package”, but always requires more work than the rare client that chooses the regular package. This is the last time, I promise!
What punishments shall we dole out if you commit the crime again? 🙂
RT @deskmag: Why Failure Is The Best Part Of Coworking: http://bit.ly/hEhRsI #coworking @CohereLLC
RT @deskmag: Why Failure Is The Best Part Of Coworking: http://bit.ly/hEhRsI #coworking @CohereLLC