These clips are from the original interviews with members of the NYC Failure Club that is featured on Yahoo Screen, recorded in October 2011. Their projects include both business and personal goals, and although they represent many different backgrounds, cultures, family status, income, education, etc, they all share the desire to achieve a dream that has always eluded them. They also share one of the most basic fears we all face – Failure!
Follow each week as they courageously pursue their dream, supported by fellow members of the Failure Club. Along the way, they are gaining a new and powerful perspective on failure as something to be embraced and pursued rather than avoided.
Posted in: Failure Club
Edison and his 'failure club' project
FAILURE CLUB 
Ana
February 15, 2012
I do not understand the point of having these clubs and pursuing any dream with the attitude that you are going to fail anyway. Why not start with an attitude that success is not only possible but with the proper support, probable?
Philip Kiracofe
February 15, 2012
Great question, and one that we hear often. I answered it in a blog post that you may be interested to read http://failureclub.org/2011/12/26/why-call-it-failure-club/
Ted
October 31, 2012
From what I see on the show, it’s not an attitude that you are going to fail anyway rather it’s an attitude that you are going to face failure head on. Each person in the Failure Club are taking steps toward a dream they have had for a long time, yet something held them back. The majority of people in society are not living their dream and they rationalize why they aren’t (i.e. I might not make enough money to support my family, the initial investment is too much, I don’t have the right contacts in my network to get a foot in the door . . . the list is endless). When really, they’re all afraid of failure (By the way, I include myself in this goup!). What will my family think of me if I don’t achieve my goal? What will my friends think? What will my colleagues think? Will I ruin my family if I fail? Would I ever be able to return to my old profession if things don’t work out? The Failure Club helps each member face that fear head on and offers them suggestions to overcome their fears. Besides, I think it is a tongue-in-cheek name for the club. Ultimately, they want to see each member succeed but to also face barriers and set backs head on without giving up. Look at Gina (I think that’s her name), she won’t achieve her goal of earning a blue ribbon at a horse back riding competition by the end of the year. However, she has a positive attitude and is optimistic that she will earn a blue ribbon but it just won’t be in the year deadline she set for herself. Is this a failure? On the one hand, yes she hasn’t received a blue ribbon in a horseback riding competition within a year’s time. On the other hand, if she receives one in the near future (or even the distant future), she has achieved her dream. She will manage to succeed after failure and be a better person for it!
Ana
October 31, 2012
All your responses are inspiring and thought-provoking.
I still want any group I join to have a different name.
My reason is, nearly every “rationalization” brought up by Ted has actually happened to me in the dozen years since I first left my “secure” life and went for my dream.
I’ve lost the respect of my family, upon whom I had to impose one too many times in order to survive after failure. How else are they to think: a total failure — and I have been told directly. I haven’t seen my friends for 9 years because I can’t afford to go to my home town to see them, let alone resettle there. And no, you can’t always restart your former life and career. I’ve been unable to restart mine. Modest as it was, it was luxurious compared to how I’m forced to live now, in actual poverty, as a result of having failed too many times in a long-shot dream.
I learned to deal with failure. As I said, to each their own. If I’m to have any hope at all, my next results must be success. So the name of the group I join will contain that word or a derivative. There’s no more room for failure in my life.
Things Go Right...Daily!
March 14, 2012
Reblogged this on Things Go Right…Daily! and commented:
Interesting concept!
Randy
March 16, 2012
Meg!… Meg! …
Your jokes are too intellectual. The Ellen/black job … you’re asking people to laugh at absurdity. Even George Carlin didn’t go that route. When you in the session and saying “I got it…I know I got it… and then I got on stage and I don’t got it” everyone laughed.
The Ellen joke CAN work, and I happen to use one like it… it only works when you’re NOT the same. For example, someone told me I have a good golf swing – I said “It’s because I modeled my swing after Tiger Woods … we have the same body type.” (not!)
But for your setup you could springboard off the proposition using a hot-button current event.
“People say … Meg… you look like Ellen Degreneras!” … because of the blond hair … right… great… that’s like saying Carrot Top looks like Kathy Griffin cause they both have red hair. Blond hair my ass… the Keebler elf, the head guy, he’s got blonde hair…you think he looks like Robert Redford? (at this point you could be self-effacing) Kathy Griffin… sheesh….. look… (put on a ski cap) – “Kathy Griffen? Look at me … more like Meg Griffin.” (gotta connect yourself to Meg Griffin a little better but off the top of my head this is something to work with…)
Shawn
March 26, 2012
Thats what they are doing, taking failure as part of success. But they gonna keep at it till thye get it
believeclub
April 4, 2012
I think the concept is fantastic. I am hoping to have an informal group get together next week to see if we will join, however, I prefer to call it Believe in Yourself rather than Failure Club.
Ana
May 7, 2012
believeclub has it right: Call it whatever name will inspire you and your members to success. This particular group seems ok with having “failure” in their name. That’s fine. I wouldn’t name any group I’m in like that. But they feel it works for them and they are the ones in it, so it’s their business. Name your own group as you see fit.
I can’t speak for the rest, and I’ve heard all the justifications. I can only speak for me. I want to join a group that will have “success” in the name or something implying it. I’ve had enough of failure to last a lifetime.
All the best to those pursuing their dreams.
believeclub
May 8, 2012
Ana: Thank you for your comment. Yes I just couldn’t call it Failure Club. I understand the concept etc., however, I don’t think people would join with that type of name. Yes there are struggles in doing a project and yes you do learn from them, however, the ultimate goal is to succeed. If you truly believe in yourself I do believe you can succeed.
Randy
May 8, 2012
I frankly don’t believe you have to believe in yourself to success. Pretending you do it fine as well…whatever has you being in action.
Philip
May 8, 2012
Ana and BelieveClub – simply changing the name will make no difference in your outcome. The limitation we all face is the attachment we have to success and the need to have a specific positive result to justify our pursuit of a dream. The goal of Failure Club is to eliminate the fear of failure and fill that void with a freedom to pursue goals that are ambitious and inspiring.
Success is quite easy, just set a low enough goal and you will succeed every time. If you find the name offputting, perhaps consider what would be possible when you can see the name as exciting and liberating.
Ana
May 8, 2012
I do feel belief in yourself is a prerequisite for success. But again, to each his/her own in all such pursuits. If you don’t believe in yourself and your ability to succeed, where does your motivation come from? Just action alone doesn’t do it, at least not in my experience. There has to be something inside, especially with goals that are considered a long shot.
Why do you think this group calls itself the Failure Club? They honestly believe they’re going to fail and they think that’s just dandy because they see it as a part of success. And why do they think they’re going to fail? Because what they’re after, most of them, are tremendous long shots and they know it.
But rather than just assume you’re going to fail, why not train your mind to success from the outset? It comes from something inside …
Randy
May 8, 2012
Perhaps you and I have different views of what “believing in yourself” means.
I think it means knowing your have the capacity to learn a skill. Perhaps you mean some visualization or such…. that a person thinks they ‘deserve’ or such what they envision.
Take for example, me. I learned web design not because I envisioned myself as a great designer but simply because I saw an opportunity that matched my skills and I believed my ability to pick up and book and learn a craft.
I didn’t have confidence about it, and it didn’t matter, because I was willing to be incredibly persistent and do the work. But I don’t think it’s fair to call that ‘belief’, I just kept going. If anything it was fear of failing, not motivation toward a vision.
They call it failure club because it’s like me learning web design … it’s the willingness to do it over and over regardless of your vision and self-belief to get somewhere better…. doesn’t require belief, just action.
People who are vigilant and cynical aren’t good visionaries but there’s plenty of examples of them succeeding.
yankeefarmer
April 17, 2012
Jess, perhaps it’s Producers and production, but your idolization of your grocer client is coming through. I can hear the thoughts in your head: “She has a woman-owned business, independent, successful… I want to be her.”
First Rule of Catering, have a licensed kitchen.
The other First Rule of Catering – the important one – develop your staff before you develop your clients. The most talented chef will FAIL if the rest of the staff is uneducated.
You can’t slam your s.o., your friends, or some Craigslist day-hire into a sous chef or maitre’d role without sufficient training.
Stuffed sole course, pour red or white wine? What? Unimportant, as you’ll leave the broiler and pour the wine yourself? Well, I guess the follow-on course will be about 10 or 15 minutes late.
Does your grocer-client go to Hunts Point, the Farmer’s Market, and Fulton Street daily – herself? Washes, and faces every head of lettuce, herself? Greets, bags, and rings-up every customer herself? Yet you see yourself as the only competent one, as it’s your FAILURE awaiting on national TV. See Rule One. Both of them.
sophia patrillo
May 7, 2012
Longer episodes, PLEASE…Ep 42 w/Ignacio was a little over 6min–at least 42 sec of which was the intro!! That is not good, IMO. Prior early eps were like 12-15min! Please, stick w/10min, if possible. I don’t think ppl are getting sufficient time in their too-short segments. thx. GREAT SERIES ^.^
reciperenovator
May 29, 2012
Love, love, love this show! How can we find out the Twitter handles for the people in the club?
darlenerose
July 3, 2012
what happened to Ignacio?
Randy
July 4, 2012
“The goal of Failure Club is to eliminate the fear of failure and fill that void with a freedom to pursue goals that are ambitious and inspiring.”
It doesn’t sound possible to eliminate the fear of failure. It sounds very possible to act despite one’s fears.
Philip Kiracofe
July 4, 2012
Of course it is possible! There was probably a time in your life when you were afraid of the dark, or afraid to cross a street, or afraid to try riding a bike. Fear is a natural ‘protection’ mechanism when there is something new or unfamiliar to us. The entire purpose of Failure Club is to fail so many times throughout the one year journey that it becomes a routine experience. In that way, Failure becomes as comfortable as crossing a street or riding a bike. And once the fear is TRULY eliminated, you have a whole new freedom to take on dream projects that you have been avoiding for years.
Randy
July 4, 2012
We’re not in disagreement but your original point was about eliminating the fear of failure as opposed to accepting it and acting despite it (courage – cowardly lion club).
Philip Kiracofe
July 4, 2012
The goal is to eliminate fear of failure, not merely act despite the fear. If you think back to the experience of learning to ride a bike, there was a point where one has to overcome their fear in order to even get on the bike. For some period of time, the fear is arguably ‘real’ and you must ‘act despite the fear’ which is certainly courageous. As one continues biking, it becomes routine, and the fear disappears altogether. At that point, it is no longer ‘courageous’ because there is no longer any fear to overcome. Biking at that point becomes truly enjoyable and liberating.
So what you are describing is a step along the journey, and what I am describing is the ultimate goal.
Randy
July 5, 2012
Exactly right… your goal is the “ultimate goal”, not the one of Fight Club – one where one is basically ‘god in the world’ – where one’s word is reality and as such without barriers.
These folks, to use your analogy, are learning to ride a bike, and as happens with cause and effect, creating more situations as they ride onto new avenues with new fears, in both size and scope, they need to be courageous about.
I don’t want this to be some semantical debate.
I just wanted folks to understand that it’s not realistic to eliminate the fear of each step before you do it and it’s all about courage and not striving for short term ‘fearlessness’.
Len Wehrung
August 4, 2012
Phillip, I get it, the name is perfect and I can’t wait to get started. I would like to see more blogs. This appears to be the latest, and summer is almost over. Please write more (or have your writer post more) when you can find the time. Many thanks for you guys getting this started. It reminds me of my TMLP experience at Landmark Education.
sophia patrillo
August 18, 2012
Only one Ignacio episode after how long?????????? Philip, any reason????
Ted
October 31, 2012
I wish I could remember the name of the company but . . . this company would hold meetings and ask everyone to contribute new ideas and the one rule was no one could immediately shoot it down or say something negative. As it turned out, if one person had an outlandish idea (that normally would have gotten laughed at), someone else would make a simple change to the idea that would make it work. Or the outlandish idea would create a “spin-off” idea that was more feasible. Eliminating the negativity allowed the creative process to flourish. Remember when we all were in pre-school or kindergarten and we all considered ourselves singers, dancers, and artists? If someone asked you today if you are a singer, dancer or an artist, chances are your answer would be no. That’s because someone told us we can’t sing, we can’t dance, or we can’t paint. I’m not saying we’ll all make a living at it but why just sing in the shower? Why just dance when no one is looking? Why just draw when our children beg us to? What about that one relative or friend or colleague who is unconventional or eccentric or quirky? They don’t seem to care what anyone else thinks of them, they seem to be having the most fun, don’t they?