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Here's a radical suggestion, one I've pondered since leaving my academic career decades ago. What if the problem starts much earlier? What if we enter the workforce already conditioned by our system of education to think about failure as a judgment against us? Imagine a different system of education that is gamified. You earn experience points -- like in a game -- based on an escalating sequence of goals accomplished, and earn a grade based on your experience level at the end of the term. This would socialize students, and the workers they will become, to a whole different mindset about risk.

If you've not already read it, I recommend Jane McGonigal's book "Reality is Broken". It's a book that is both flawed and deeply insightful, examining how far we could go with gamifying life. The flaws are worth tolerating for the insights to be gained.

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Mike, I am avid follower of your articles. I eagerly wait for your though provoking insights . This article on embracing failure and turning it to a great learning experience is brilliant and super useful to be applied at Work.

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Thanks JJ, I appreciate the note.

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Mike, I’m always so impressed with your excellent pieces!! Well done, as always. Betsy

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Betsy, thank you so much!

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