Plan — Start to think of what it is you’re trying to solve or create and how you want to go about it. Be realistic with your means, but also don’t let fear of any particular outcome stop you from trying certain things. Go for it uninhibited.
The Fear of Failure is one of the most common restraints that holds people back from pursuing great ideas. Imagine if we could become totally free from the fear of failure. Imagine what we could then manifest and create. In this interview series, we are talking to leaders who can share stories and insights from their experience about “Becoming Free From the Fear of Failure.” As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Jimmy Minhas the founder and CEO of Gerdli.
Thank you so much for joining us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’?
My name is Jimmy Minhas, Founder + CEO of GerdLi, the world’s first anti-reflux supplement. Our supplement is a natural alternative to medication for those who suffer from esophagitis.
Can you share with us the most interesting story from your career? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘take aways’ you learned from that?
I was hospitalized and put on lifelong medication at just 31 years old for severe esophagitis. At that point, I was determined to find a way to relieve heartburn naturally. This led me to discover D-limonene as a natural, non-pharmacological supplement to aid in acid reflux. I didn’t want to be medicated for life and knew there had to be another way, so I found it.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
- Innovation — I created the world’s first anti acid reflux supplement. They said it didn’t exist, so I found it. This led me to create my new brand and am able to help others because of it.
- Determination — I was too determined to find something because I did not want to be on medication for life. Others shouldn’t have to be, either. And now they don’t, thanks to my invention.
- Resourcefulness — Using my medical background and personal problem, I spent months researching natural ways to help myself and others with my condition until I ultimately found it and created GerdLi.
Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s shift to the main focus of this interview. We would like to explore and flesh out the concept of becoming free from failure. Let’s zoom in a bit. What are the downsides of being afraid of failure? How can it limit people?
Fear of failure can stop people from ever trying in the first place. Failure is not the opposite of success, it is an important part of the pathway of and to success. It means you’re trying. When you try, you learn, you grow, and you can continue to adapt accordingly.
In contrast, can you help articulate a few ways how becoming free from the free of failure can help improve our lives?
Fear can hold us, prisoners, in our own lives. It can hold us back from attempting things that excite us and make us happy. It can hold us back from possibly creating something that could help others, whether it’s one person or hundreds or thousands. You never know how you can impact the world unless you try.
We would love to hear your story about your experience dealing with failure. Would you be able to share a story about that with us?
Failure is a part of everyone’s lives. Whether it’s relationships, bad habits, your career, or all of the above. Learn to embrace failure and learn from it so you can continue to grow. I failed a few times in researching and creating the supplement but I did not want to give up because I knew giving up meant being medicated for life, and I was not comfortable with that. Had I let fear stop me, others would be doomed to the same pharmacological fate.
How did you rebound and recover after that? What did you learn from this whole episode? What advice would you give to others based on that story?
I kept going. It’s ok to let the loss hit you, but don’t let it drown you. Face it. Accept it. And move on. The sooner the better.
Fantastic. Here is the main question of our interview. In your opinion, what are 5 steps that everyone can take to become free from the fear of failure”? Please share a story or an example for each.
- Acknowledge It — know that you’re not alone. Everyone experiences fear and fear of failure. When you accept that, you can move forward.
- Accept — Accept that you might still fail. Know that it is possible, and that it’s ok if you do. It’s not going to be the end of the world, or the end of you.
- Plan — Start to think of what it is you’re trying to solve or create and how you want to go about it. Be realistic with your means, but also don’t let fear of any particular outcome stop you from trying certain things. Go for it uninhibited.
- Execute — Don’t waste too much time trying to get things perfect. Messy action wins. It’s better to try something and get the results so you can adapt and keep trying than to wait until it’s perfect. It’ll never be perfect, you just have to do it.
- Repeat — Fail. And repeat the steps all over again as many times as needed until you get where you’re looking to go.
The famous Greek philosopher Aristotle once said, “It is possible to fail in many ways…while to succeed is possible only in one way.” Based on your experience, have you found this quote to be true? What do you think Aristotle really meant?
I don’t think that’s true. There are many different routes to success. Sometimes it takes a lot of failure and attempts to find a way that works, and it will likely not be a way you considered the first time around. Keep going until you find it.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the greatest amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
My particular invention was within healthcare, you never know what your invention can help, or who it can help, and to what scale. Don’t underestimate the need for your impact on the world.
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent on this. We wish you only continued success.