The Brutal Truth: No Silver Bullets, Only Perseverance
Unveiling the Myth of Shortcut Success and Embracing the True Magic of the Journey
In pursuing success in academia, corporate ventures, or entrepreneurial endeavors, the quest for a silver bullet—that one magical solution to all problems—is a universal yearning. We often marvel at the success of others and question how they achieved it. In my journey, marked by reflection and revelation during a sabbatical year in 2014, I discovered that the concept of a silver bullet is more complex than it seems.
I wrote this article about 6 years ago. Since then, so much has happened, and one thing struck me: how many people reached out to me asking for the sure thing, the perfect shortcut, the perfect roadmap to success as an entrepreneur or a product manager.
Is this eagerness to succeed or afraid of failure? Or pure laziness?
Don't get me wrong. I'm not judging you or anyone. I am raising this question to provoke your self-reflection: Why are you seeking the silver bullet?
A Journey of Conscious Choices and Decisions
Reflecting on my trajectory, I realized that my journey began with a conscious decision in childhood to attend the Military School of Brasilia. In the face of challenges like contracting rubella before an admission test, this choice set the stage for a unique path. I didn't have the maturity to realize that having a will is entirely different from making a decision and being responsible for the outcomes.
Making a decision means taking the risks associated with it.
In seven years, I went from the military college to the university, embarking on a journey filled with successes and mistakes, each contributing to my growth. I wasn't afraid of making mistakes, but I was scared of not being successful down the road. Click Babá grew as a startup, and after over six years of operational expansion and growth, we sold it.
However, was it successful? A few may say yes, but to me, it was not. The success came later as a series of learnings.
Learning from Successes, Embracing Mistakes, and the Fear of Failure
Throughout my undergraduate years in civil engineering at UnB, I consciously learned from my successes, but my unconscious absorbed invaluable lessons from my mistakes. Acknowledging the support of incredible individuals who contributed to my journey, I began to understand that success is a cumulative result of triumphs and setbacks.
The revelation about the illusiveness of a silver bullet occurred during the Collision Conference in April 2016. I was talking to a seasoned marketing executive, Lynda, about optimizing customer conversion for my startup, Click Babá, and I was hoping for an inspiring insight. Instead, Lynda dropped a truth bomb:
"Taric, remember there is no silver bullet."
Initially frustrated by her comment, I retreated to ponder its significance. The legend of the silver bullet and its connection to werewolf mythology triggered an insightful analogy. If success were killing a werewolf, how did one stumble upon the silver bullet? The conclusion: for every home run, there are countless failed attempts.
The Complex Journey to Discovering the Silver Bullet
Though the elusive silver bullet exists, it is not a freely shared commodity. Unearthing its power demands a personal journey fueled by obsession and compulsion, involving meticulous testing, strategic planning, and relentless iteration. While exploring others' strategies initially may be tempting, embracing the inevitability of failure becomes crucial in forging your unique path to success.
In this intricate process, failure stands as the precursor to success. Acknowledging this stark truth is not only crucial but liberating. Each failure becomes a stepping stone, a teacher imparting valuable lessons and refining your approach. It's the essence of the iterative nature of success, where initial attempts may not yield the silver bullet you seek.
However, the fear of making mistakes is a psychological hurdle that often accompanies the quest for success. In the modern landscape, there's an observable trend: an increasing number of individuals are paralyzed by the fear of failure, opting for what seems like the "perfect" shortcuts. The anxiety surrounding making mistakes has become a formidable barrier to the experimentation, adaptation, and refinement necessary for success.
Success is not a linear journey; it demands a willingness to navigate the maze of trial and error and continuous refinement. Nowadays, the fear of making mistakes is more pervasive than ever. Pursuing perfection through flawless shortcuts has become a hindrance to the very essence of success — the ability to learn, adapt, and evolve.
The psychological aspect of fearing mistakes reflects a broader societal inclination toward instant gratification and an aversion to setbacks. It's not about the fear of making mistakes in itself; instead, it's the fear of what those mistakes might signify — a detour from the envisioned path to success.
Navigating this complex psychological landscape requires understanding that mistakes are not detours but rather integral components of the journey. They are not roadblocks but stepping stones. Embracing failure as a natural part of the process allows for developing adaptability and a deeper understanding of oneself.
The iterative process of success, intertwined with the fear of making mistakes, is a delicate dance. It requires a shift in perspective — viewing mistakes not as failures but as opportunities for growth. Pursuing the silver bullet becomes less about avoiding mistakes and more about learning from them.
The Guarded Nature of Success
In the labyrinthine journey toward success, the existence of a silver bullet remains a subject of contemplation. Yet, the pivotal question arises: even if this elusive solution exists, why would those who have discovered it share their secret sauce? The guarded nature of success transcends the mere possession of a silver bullet — it delves into the intricate motivations that drive individuals to keep their success formulas close to the chest.
While the silver bullet exists, wrapped in the shroud of mystery, its possessors seldom unveil the exact formula that led them to triumph. It is not merely a matter of reluctance but a testament to the arduous journey, marked by relentless effort and an intimate understanding of one's goals. Success, in its truest sense, is deeply personal and intricately tied to individual experiences, failures, and triumphs.
The decision to guard the secrets of success stems from a myriad of motivations. For some, it is the fear of diluting the uniqueness of their journey — a concern that sharing the silver bullet might diminish the distinctiveness of their achievements. Others guard their success closely due to the competitive nature of the world, where each unique path is a strategic advantage in the marketplace.
Moreover, the guarded nature of success can be attributed to the very essence of human nature — the desire to preserve a sense of exclusivity. Success often comes with a price, paid in sacrifices, perseverance, and unyielding dedication. Those who have paid this price may be reluctant to freely share the fruits of their labor.
It's essential to debunk the illusion that every silver bullet will slay the same werewolf. Success, like the mythical creature, takes various forms, and what works for one person may not be universally applicable. The specificity of individual goals, circumstances, and experiences renders each silver bullet unique. This realization challenges the assumption that a shared silver bullet will guarantee success for all.
Conclusion
The mythical silver bullet is a metaphor for the unattainable shortcut in the grand quest for success. Through personal anecdotes and reflections, we've explored the complexity of this journey and the necessity of failure. Embracing setbacks, learning from mistakes, and persistently refining your approach will ultimately lead to your version of the silver bullet.
Success is not a destination but a continuous evolution, a journey shaped by conscious choices, the wisdom gained from failures, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. So, as you navigate your path, remember: the silver bullet may be elusive, but the journey itself is where the true magic happens.