Stanford research found that people who succeed — even in resource-poor populations trying to lose weight — never frame setbacks as failure. Their mindset is always “what’s the next iteration, the next thing we do, the next attempt.” This constant iterative orientation is also the engine behind Silicon Valley’s “fail fast” culture.
Joe argues this is the foundation of all Art of Accomplishment methodology: experiments instead of exercises, wants over shoulds, connection over perfection. Each of these reframes removes the possibility of failure by redefining success as process rather than outcome.
“If I see them as iteration, if I see them as a series of experiments where I’m learning, then I’m always winning. I’m never failing because I’m always learning.”
The iterative mindset compounds over time. Every company Joe knows that disrupted an industry in a decade was “very very iterative in their approach.” You may not lose weight this year, but constant iteration on health over decades produces extraordinary results.
Related Concepts
- Failure is just an idea, not a reality
- Reframe failure as experimentation by writing 50 experiments
- We are always running experiments
- Enjoyment dissolves procrastination
- An iterative mindset dissolves procrastination by removing the possibility of failure
- Reward failure to create innovative culture