Howard Lindzon - Latest Comments in Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

Liske — Tue, 19 May 2009 20:49:13 -0000

Laughter is a stress reliever....

http://tweetingtoohard.com/

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

howardlindzon — Mon, 18 May 2009 21:43:31 -0000

True. The key is to not stress about it. I have been and won't anymore

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

William Mougayar — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:32:18 -0000

I often wondered how you juggle being a vc, entrepreneur,trader/fund manager, blogger and active in social media/Twitter. It's not easy.
Scoble's 15-year old son said "I'm not like my dad, I don't have a web site." Scoble adds "This is from a 15-year-old who is very expert with world of warcraft, has a MySpace page, a Twitter account, a friendfeed account, is very active on Mac Rumors, etc"
There's something going on about participating in social media and neglecting a website/blog. I must have added 20 comments in places I care about this past week + FF & Twitter entries, and I didn't do a blog post I wanted to. Eventually, it will balance out.

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

thesticks — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:19:24 -0000

I assume that anyone reading this blog has looked far behind the lines. I have been only 5% invested for the past two years. As I am not a trader I am waiting for opportunities in my business or for capitulation in the market. Of course, I agree with you that much of what has been touted as safe has not been but, it I don't think that is anything new.

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

jason Liske — Mon, 18 May 2009 03:43:44 -0000

Twitter means zilch to me as none of my clients twitter. They pay me for what I do for them, not what - or if - I twitter. Maybe happy clients will twitter for me?

Not sure when twitter gets personal for me - I am web 1.0 and loving it.

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

ivanhoff — Sun, 17 May 2009 23:53:48 -0000

Bruce,
you should try to look behind the lines of the expression "safe is the new dangerous". Safe is considered the status quo, the general consensus of the public - if you follow it, it won't get you too far in any business field, including investing. For example, look at the market performance of the so called safe, defensive plays - high yielding tobacco, utilities, health care stocks. They send to grave multiple portfolios during the past year and a half. What is generally considered risky - the innovative, disruptive thinking is actually safer than what is considered safe by the masses, if that means anything for you.

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

howardlindzon — Sun, 17 May 2009 14:13:08 -0000

we are in agreement bruce, i just like the term for a title.

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

Bruce — Sun, 17 May 2009 12:12:05 -0000

Safe is the new dangerous? I don't know, maybe I don't get what you are saying but, there are times when it is ok to play it safe. Unless I have been reading Howard wrong the past few months, playing it safe is the main thing I have taken away from this blog and it has saved me a ton of grief. I have missed Howard's posts lately, glad to see him back.

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

ZenProfit — Sun, 17 May 2009 11:36:44 -0000

Is The Fly even allowed to post from Mexico?

Doesn't that violate NAFTA?

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

Fly — Sun, 17 May 2009 03:05:04 -0000

COMING SOON....

"The Fly" Meets Monseigneur Maralbo at Mexican Bowling Alley (4 stars).

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

howardlindzon — Sat, 16 May 2009 23:30:05 -0000

I like the new voices on my blog. Thx

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

howardlindzon — Sat, 16 May 2009 23:26:15 -0000

He steals my stuff so that's cool :)

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

ivanhoff — Sat, 16 May 2009 23:24:41 -0000

Cool:) It is inspired by Seth Godin's video: http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

howardlindzon — Sat, 16 May 2009 23:17:07 -0000

Safe is the new dangerous. Consider that stolen. Sorry.

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

ivanhoff — Sat, 16 May 2009 23:15:39 -0000

Playing it safe is the new dangerous. The obvious rarely happens and the unexpected constantly occurs.
People are wired to like new, different stuff and that's why disruption of the ordinary has been the most successful strategy in any field.

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

howardlindzon — Sat, 16 May 2009 17:08:08 -0000

Thx brian

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

Brian Hill — Sat, 16 May 2009 16:13:43 -0000

"I have not fully adjusted to the different styles required from ‘real time’ notes and blogging. For me at least, there is a big difference and I am thinking hard about how to adjust and get the passion back for writing and blogging."

Howard, you are absolutely right about the statement above. So embrace the idea and don't get lost in it. Here's what I mean:

Short, timely thoughts are exactly what Twitter is for. A quick idea, an easy trade or you need a quick answer. Fine. You know this.

Blogging is for one idea as well, but it is a place where you can add thought, reasoning, ponder. It is even a place to pontificate and expound. No need to be limited by 140 characters.

At the same time, we don't always necessarily have to say great things every day. So you should not get caught up in the fact that you don't blog everyday. You don't have to write EVERY day. We won't forget about you if you don't.

Personally, I don't twitter yet because I don't want to get caught up in the minutia, I want to think about the deep thoughts. I use my reader to follow about 20 brilliant people, of which you are one. I love to hear what the intelligent people are thinking. That's why I read your blog. Keep up the great work.

"Failure" is another subject, but all I have to say about that is at least you have the balls to put it out there.

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

Joan Koerber-Walker — Sat, 16 May 2009 15:27:05 -0000

Thanks for staring this Howard. Everyone likes to talk about their successes - but few are brave enough to talk about their failures openly.

ZenProfit called this discussion a downer - but I disagree. Instead I see this as opening up the possiblities for solutions. History shows us that some of the biggest failures - in business and in life - have learned from the experience of failing and move on to great success. When I listen to someone say they have never failed, I get worried. They obviously still have a lot to learn.

Today, collateral damage is all around us. Lost jobs, a financial industry still on shaky ground, and an automotive industry that has moved from a position of world dominence to disaster. The collateral damage to the employees of those companies, their supply chain partners, and their distribution networks is staggering. Yesterday a thousand car dealers learned that the partner they relied on is a partner no more. Some of these businesses span generations and the collateral damage includes not just the business, but their employees, their customers, and the communities that they have long supported.

Most of these busineses will not survive - but a some will learn from this failure - come up with a new way to serve their customers - and rebuild to grow again.

Fortune8 mentions Schumpeter's model of Creative Destruction. As an economist I have always thought the name misleading. In the model, new products or innovations that create more value replace those that have less. Each company that is displaced has the opportunity to rise again if they learn from their failures and focus on a new strategy for value creation and rejoi the cycle.

Thanks for reminding us to take the time to look at our failures - to learn from them - and to move forward.

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

howardlindzon — Sat, 16 May 2009 15:20:11 -0000

Thanks much

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

Sam Huleatt — Sat, 16 May 2009 15:17:46 -0000

Howard - this is the best insight I've read in a long time and it puts a great perspective on a current situation. Thanks man; you're a rock star.

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

trustnone — Sat, 16 May 2009 12:47:59 -0000

That sounds like Deepak Chopra. You been reading ;)

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

jworthy — Sat, 16 May 2009 10:37:18 -0000

Good luck rediscovering your passion for the blog. I have really enjoyed reading it over the last few months.

I think you are quite right in that your awareness and reflection on past mistakes will help you avoid them again. The part that feels the best to me is the idea that one needs to catch and attend to mistakes while they are small rather than deal with the momentous snowball that results. For me at least, it's far too easy to say "I'll worry about that later"

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

howardlindzon — Sat, 16 May 2009 10:33:06 -0000

I am misunderstood :)

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

Mark Collier — Sat, 16 May 2009 10:15:00 -0000

I always knew you were a Buddhist Howard.

Re: Failure is Everywhere…Don’t Underestimate Collateral Damage

ZenProfit — Sat, 16 May 2009 10:09:12 -0000

All of you people are downers, so early on a Saturday morning. Get outside and smell the damn roses. You are right Howard, Twittering sucks. Long live StockTwits. $$