He makes a really good point and a bad one. I know that I for one am definitely more afraid of rejection than failure. Whenever I comment around here I usually take great care not to reveal what I do for a living. I don't make it hard for people to find out but I usually don't admit what my business is and most of my side projects too. I'm in the suburbs of Chicago and out here I'm a big fish in a little pond. There's not too much rejection around here. People are easier to impress. Once I get out of that comfort zone and into the wider world I become a much smaller fish in a much bigger pond and I fear rejection a lot in such waters. It's funny that I'm fearless about failure but am far more fearful of being laughed at or considered some sort of amateur. So the fear of rejection part I ink he's right on about.
Now I don't agree that you should distance yourself from what you do. I think it's vital that you become your business. I think it's one way to ensure success. Distancing yourself from your business seems, well cowardly to me. Maybe cowardly ismt the right word but I don't feel that's right.
Perhaps the word you're looking for is half-hearted? That's how I felt as well after reading this. I was nodding along in agreement until I reached the end. I live and breath what I do and love every minute of it. And my level of devotion doesn't make me fear failure nor link myself to it. Failure is a moment. You've only failed when you've stopped trying. Until then, you're just continuing on the winding road to success and experiencing every stop along the way.
I think what he's trying to say is that we shouldn't tie our self-worth to the product and not take it personally if it doesn't work out.
I'm not sure how to do it though. It does affect me personally a little bit if something I put a lot of effort into doesn't work out. I guess its a risk I've to take or perhaps try to do some mental gymnastics to convince myself that it doesn't matter.
Now I don't agree that you should distance yourself from what you do. I think it's vital that you become your business. I think it's one way to ensure success. Distancing yourself from your business seems, well cowardly to me. Maybe cowardly ismt the right word but I don't feel that's right.