Why Failure is Part of the Journey: Lessons from Google Plus
Have you ever felt frustrated when things didn't go as planned, despite your best efforts? Maybe you launched a project, put in countless hours, only to see it flop. It's easy to feel discouraged and question your abilities in moments like this. But here's a perspective that might help: even giants like Google don’t succeed at everything they try. In fact, one of Google's most ambitious projects, Google Plus, was meant to rival Facebook and reshape social media. And it failed spectacularly.
In 2011, Google saw the rising dominance of Facebook and decided to launch Google Plus, a social network designed to give people a different, more structured way to connect. With Google’s resources and reputation, you’d think it would have been a surefire hit. Yet, despite the initial buzz and millions of users joining early on, Google Plus never really took off. It struggled with user engagement, faced privacy issues, and ultimately, Google shut it down in 2019.
The lesson? If one of the world's biggest tech companies can try, fail, and move on, so can we. Google’s failure with Google Plus didn’t stop them from pushing forward and succeeding with other projects. For every Google Plus, there’s a YouTube, Gmail, and Chrome. Success isn't about avoiding failure; it’s about learning, adapting, and being willing to try again.
So, if you’re not satisfied with where you are, don’t be too hard on yourself. Every step, even the missteps, can lead to growth. Failure isn’t the end of the journey—it’s a valuable part of it. Keep learning, keep adjusting, and remember that sometimes failure is the stepping stone to future success.
