To Succeed You Need to Fail

Like many of you, I’ve wrestled with it, especially coming from a background in dentistry, where precision is not just appreciated; it’s required.

When you’re dealing with people’s health or safety, there’s no room for shortcuts. Whether it's the calculus behind a bridge or the structure of a crown, getting as close to perfection as possible isn't just ideal—it's imperative.

But in regards to living your life, entrepreneurship, leadership, and legacy… The same standards of “perfection” can actually become a roadblock to progress. 

Below are several misconceptions and lessons I think will serve you well in your life that I learned as an entrepreneur, investor and through life.

Risk Is the Doorway to Growth

Not everything we touch requires surgical precision. In fact, when the downside isn’t life-altering, like it is in medicine or engineering, why are we still so afraid of making mistakes?

I’ll tell you why: We’re conditioned to believe that getting it wrong means we’re not good enough. That failure somehow disqualifies us. But here's the truth—failure is just the tuition we pay for success.

Ariana Huffington once said, “Failure is not the opposite of success. It’s part of success.” That’s a truth worth taping to your mirror.

Think of all the missed opportunities in life because we were too busy “perfecting” our plan. We sit on ideas, we tinker with projects, we wait until the stars align. But life doesn’t reward the one with the neatest blueprint.

It rewards the one who’s willing to act in spite of imperfection.

Leadership Isn’t Management—It’s Empowerment

Here’s another trap many of us fall into: confusing management with leadership.

Early in my journey, I thought I had to manage every moving part—every task, every team member. But that only scales so far. True growth—real impact—only happens when we empower others to own outcomes.

Don’t tell them exactly what to do. Instead, cast the vision. Define what success looks like. Then let your people get to work. Let them bring their unique genius to the table. Will it be perfect? No. But will it be better than what you could do alone? Absolutely.

Gallup reports that only 33% of employees in the U.S. are engaged at work. Why? Because most don’t feel like they own anything. They're executing someone else’s plan instead of creating their own.

Want engaged, high-performing teams? Let them own the process.

Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast

If you’re building a business, a brand, or even just a family vision, you need one thing first: alignment.

Define who you are, how you behave, and what you're trying to accomplish. Then row the boat in the same direction

I’ve seen too many organizations struggle not because they lack talent, but because they lack a unified direction. Everyone shows up asking, “What do I have to do today?” instead of “Where are we going, and how does my role move us closer?”

That’s the difference between clock-punching and purpose-driven work.

Abundance Is a Multiplier

There’s a lie many entrepreneurs still believe: “If I share what I know, I’ll lose my edge.” That’s scarcity talking, and it’s dead wrong.

The reality? When you share your knowledge, it multiplies. It expands. It sparks innovation. It creates connections you never could’ve predicted. In a world that thrives on collaboration and open-source thinking, holding your ideas too tightly is the fastest way to irrelevance.

Think about it: every major leap in technology, health, and business has come because someone dared to share.

Innovation Doesn’t Come from Overthinking—It Comes from Action

Here’s a trap I’ve found myself in—maybe you have too. We overanalyze every decision. We think if we can just get a little more data, read one more article, run one more projection, then we'll know for sure.

But you and I both know the truth: overanalyzing is just a sophisticated form of procrastination.

I’ve been there—starting something new, worrying about whether it would work, whether people would approve, whether it would succeed. And you know what? Some of those things didn’t work. But others did. The ones that worked only happened because I was willing to take a calculated leap without a perfect plan.

Real innovation is iterative. It requires motion. It’s not about getting it perfect on the first try; it’s about having the courage to start, assess, and pivot.

Just look at the startup world. According to CB Insights, 42% of startups fail not because the idea was bad, but because the product didn't meet a market need. You won’t know what the market wants—or how you can serve—until you start building and listening.

So what’s holding you back? Fear of failure? Failure is just feedback. Use it. Adapt because of it. Grow from it.

Self-Care Isn’t Selfish—It’s Survival

Entrepreneurs, listen up. You can’t pour from an empty cup.

We buy into this myth of the relentless, rugged individual—burning the candle at both ends, doing it all, never slowing down. But eventually, the body will tell you the truth you’ve been trying to ignore: you need space to breathe.

For me, that’s early walks with my dog. It’s time at the gym. They serve to clear my mind. It’s in those quiet moments that the real breakthroughs come. That’s where vision is birthed and resilience is restored.

Research backs this up. According to the American Psychological Association, regular physical activity reduces stress and boosts cognitive function, especially in high-performing professionals.

Your mind isn’t separate from your body. Treat it that way, and you’ll lose both.

Redefining Wealth: From Net Worth to Life Worth

There’s one more concept I want to weave in—because it’s foundational not just to business, but to how we measure life itself.

We spend so much time chasing numbers—net worth, equity, retirement goals, portfolio size—but rarely do we stop to ask: What is all this really for?

You’ve probably heard someone say, “I need $10 million to retire.” But I challenge that. Do you? 

Or have you just adopted someone else’s number without examining what you actually need and what you actually want?

What’s the real purpose behind the pursuit? For me, wealth is about replacement income because this opens the doorway to having the time, energy, and freedom to live on your terms. To invest in your health, your mind, your relationships, and your purpose. That’s wealth. That’s life worth.

That’s the paradox most entrepreneurs face: we work so hard to gain freedom, then forget to live like we have it.

So here’s your reminder: real wealth is measured not just by your financial statement, but by the quality of your life.

Are you energized? Are you fulfilled? Are you creating space to think, breathe, and become who you’re meant to be?

Because in the end, the goal isn’t just to die rich. The goal is to live richly.

Your Move: Take the Next Imperfect Step

Let me leave you with a provocation: What idea are you sitting on, trying to perfect? 

It’s time to take action. Not after more research. Not after more analysis. Now. Because the longer you wait, the more likely you are to never start. 

The world doesn’t need your perfect plan. It needs your imperfect progress.

So put down the blueprint. Pick up your tools. And build something—even if it’s messy. That’s where greatness lives.