Nearing the end of 2008, happily self employed, considering expanding my business and plotting new ideas for the year ahead, I find myself reflecting on the journey behind me and start to see the bright side of failure.

When I started what could probably be marked as my second business some four and a half years ago, I never thought that it would lead me to where I am now. As it became clear that the business would fail and that I had sunk quite a bit of money into a product that now clutters my storage space, it seemed that the happiness of doing “something I truly enjoyed”, would once again elude me.

I took that 9 to 5 and moved forward, setting the engine on cruise control I need to regroup, but I did not let that failure keep me from focusing on my goals for the future. I knew, without a doubt in my mind that this was not the last time I would venture into the world of entrepreneurship.

Now, this four and a half years later I look back at and I am able to recognize that it was not failure at all. It was a lesson, the learnings of which are applied to each and every part of the way I do business today and the reason I feel I can succeed.

As an entrepreneur, learn to recognize that failure is not the end of the journey it is only a fork in the road, a building block for something better and you will begin to see the bright side of failure.

Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success.

Stephen A. Brennan

Think about that as you head into the New Year scrambling to get your “resolutions” in order before the ball drops. Why not turn those resolutions into real and achievable goals this time around. Goals which you passionately strive to attain, goals which you document a path to achieving and goals which you hold yourself accountable for throughout the year ahead.

Happy New Year, here’s to your success in the days and months ahead!

Designers have a dual duty; contractually to their clients and morally to the later users and recipients of their work.
— Hans Höger

People think it’s this veneer — that the designers are handed this box and told, ‘Make it look good!’ That’s not what we think design is. It’s not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.
-Steve Jobs

In order for a good idea to be successful it is absolutely necessary that you execute the idea with as much excitement and motivation as you put forth in the creation of the idea.

“The key is to just get on the bike, and the key to getting on the bike… is to stop thinking about ‘there are a bunch of reasons I might fall off’ and just hop on and peddle the damned thing. You can pick up a map, a tire pump, and better footwear along the way.”

-Dick Costolo, founder of Feedburner.com

I think this idea applies to life in general, all to often in life do we mull over the what ifs without motivating ourselves to act on our ideas and make our dreams happen.