Wedding Business Solutions

Failure IS an option

• Alan Berg, CSP, Global Speaking Fellow

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Failure IS an option

What have you tried new this year? Are you letting fear of failure stop you from taking chances? In this episode, I dive into why failure isn't the end, but rather a stepping stone to success. Learn how unexpected outcomes can sometimes surpass your original goals and lead to growth.

Listen to this new 6-minute episode for inspiration on embracing risk and seeing failure as a path to unexpected success and innovation.

Episode Summary: 
In this episode of the Wedding Business Solutions podcast, I dive into the idea that failure is actually an option—and a necessary one at that. I talk about how taking action, even with the risk of failure, is vital for achieving success and unlocking new possibilities. Drawing from personal stories, like a whiskey blending experience, I show how unintended results can sometimes lead to great success. I invite you to think about what's the worst that could happen and measure it against the potential benefits. By accepting failure as part of the journey and trying out new things, we can uncover unexpected opportunities and facilitate growth in life and business.

If you have any questions about anything in this, or any of my podcasts, or have a suggestion for a topic or guest, please reach out directly to me at Alan@WeddingBusinessSolutions.com or visit my website Podcast.AlanBerg.com 

Please be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave a review (thanks, it really does make a difference). If you want to get notifications of new episodes and upcoming workshops and webinars, you can sign up at www.ConnectWithAlanBerg.com  

View the full transcript on Alan’s site: https://alanberg.com/blog/


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I'm Alan Berg. Thanks for listening. If you have any questions about this or if you'd like to suggest other topics for "The Wedding Business Solutions Podcast" please let me know. My email is Alan@WeddingBusinessSolutions.com. Look forward to seeing you on the next episode. Thanks.

Listen to this and all episodes on Apple Podcast, YouTube or your favorite app/site:

©2025 Wedding Business Solutions LLC & AlanBerg.com

Failure is an option. Listen to this episode. See what I'm talking about. Hi, it's Alan Berg. Welcome back to another episode of the Wedding Business Solutions podcast. Yes, failure is an option. And why do I say that? That's because anything good that has happened to you has happened because of taking action. And sometimes it works out well, and sometimes it doesn't.

But not taking action is actually the bigger failure because you had no chance of succeeding at anything or getting a different result if you don't try something different. So the question to you would be, now that we're into the new year a little bit, what have you tried new? What have you done differently? What have you taken a chance on that you hadn't before? Because this is where the good stuff happens. And if it doesn't work out, ask yourself, even before you try it, maybe just ask yourself, what's the worst that could happen? I did a podcast on this. I think it was last year. Maybe it was the year before. What's the worst that could happen now? Sometimes the worst that could happen is it cost you some money, cost you some time. Okay, are you still healthy? Does your family still have a roof over the head and food on the table? Okay, that's not so bad then. Yes, it's not good to lose money and lose time, but if you didn't take that chance, you had no chance of getting a different result.

So if you think about failure is an option, it's always an option. And sometimes, as a. A friend of mine had said, you know, that success is an unintended consequence, and failure is an unintended consequence. And what he meant by that was that failure is not what you were trying to achieve. You were trying to achieve success. But success is an unintended consequence, means sometimes you try something, you don't get the result that you intended, but you get a different result. And then that could even be better or just unexpected and like, wow, this is pretty good here. Those of you that cook and you, you and you throw in different ingredients and stuff, you come up with something sometimes like, whoa, that wasn't what I was trying for.

But that's pretty good, right? I do that with my whiskey blending. I blend different whiskeys together and. And different woods and things. And then sometimes it's like, okay, what is whoa, What? That's not what I was going for. But, man, that's pretty good. There had this happen where I couldn't get one batch right. Just no matter what I did, I couldn't get it right. And then a Friend of mine sent me a bottle.

Yes, Jason, I'm talking about you sent me a bottle that was too sweet for him. It was a cherry infused whiskey from Traverse City, Michigan, Traverse City being the cherry capital of the world. And I tasted and go, yep, it's too sweet. Let me throw it in here. And I poured it in and it became one of the best batches, maybe the best batch that we've ever done. And that was going to be a failure until this unexpected thing that happened. And I said, well, what do I have to lose? Let's put it in here now. What if I hadn't tried? I might have just given up on that batch altogether and said, nope, can't do it.

Tried something else. There you go. So think about your life. Think about your business. This is not just a business thing. This is a life thing. Right? It could be that you wanted to approach a certain person who you thought, hey, maybe I'd like to get to know them better. Maybe it's personally, maybe it's professionally, but you have to take that chance.

Rod Baker did a podcast with me on introverts in the wedding and event industry and telling me how so many DJs like him are actually introverts. And when he walks into a networking event, he looks for the most uncomfortable person in the room. And if that's him, he looks for the second most uncomfortable person in the room and then walks over and starts talking to them because he knows what that's like to be them. And I do the same thing at networking. If I'm with a group of people I know and I see somebody just standing by by themselves, I'll wave them in. And it's not that we're a clique, it's just that we already know each other. And how did that happen? Well, some point, somebody invited me into that circle and now I'm inviting other people in. So failure is the.

Is an option every time. And if you ask yourself, what's the worst that could happen? And it's not so bad, okay, what is the best that could happen if this works out exactly the way I want? What could that be? And isn't that usually a better risk? Because we're not usually risking our lives. We're usually just risking money. And time and again if we try and it doesn't work, so what? Let's try something else. And maybe, maybe sometimes if you look back, did you try something? Didn't get the result you were looking for, got a different result, and you've moved forward with that and said, wow, I'm going to go with this because this is great. I didn't even know this was an option, and now I do. And I'm going to go this way. Kind of like the road less traveled thing there.

Right? So just ask yourself again, are you afraid of failure? Are you afraid of success? Which is a whole nother podcast that I did, I believe, a couple of years ago on that one. But are you afraid of failure and it's stopping you from even trying? Sit back, run through the scenario and say, okay, what is the worst that could happen? And if it's just a matter of money and time? And I, I granted, I know sometimes money is tighter and sometimes money it's not, but can I get to that result without taking this chance? And if the answer is no? Well, if you really want that result, you have to take the chance. And it's not that you shouldn't worry about failures. You shouldn't focus on it. You should be aware of it. Just be aware that it is an option. And then know, okay, how many times have I failed in my life? Look over your shoulder again. How many times have I failed in my life and I'm still here.

And how many times along the way did I succeed because I tried? That's what I want you to think about. So as this new year is progressing along, think about, what have I tried new so far? And if I haven't, what can I try new and what's the worst that could happen? Know that up front and then let me know how it works out for.

I’m Alan Berg. Thanks for listening. If you have any questions about this or if you’d like to suggest other topics for “The Wedding Business Solutions Podcast” please let me know. My email is Alan@WeddingBusinessSolutions.com or you can  text, use the short form on this page, or call +1.732.422.6362, international 001 732 422 6362. I look forward to seeing you on the next episode. Thanks.

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©2025 Wedding Business Solutions LLC & AlanBerg.com


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Alan Berg, CSP, Global Speaking Fellow

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