Are you failing successfully?

I can’t help but think that I am missing many opportunities by not failing enough (or learning from the minor daily failures around me). Having just found Jaired’s Life’s Lessons and post “The Art of Failure and Side Effects of Social Praise” put this question in mind.

When I’m launching into new territory, do I look for the lessons learned from others?

When a project goes sideways, am I doing a good job of understanding why?

When actions are put back-on-track and the tough discussions have occurred, have I learned enough to avoid the issue again…?

I hate the idea of second-rate delivery, or deliverables that miss the heart of the problem. But I could do with a bit more stretching and risk a few near misses that could last a lifetime.