The This Might Not Work Mantra
Embrace the possibility of failure as the prerequisite for meaningful creative work
Godin reveals that his internal mantra for navigating creative transitions and launching new projects is this might not work. On a good day, he tells himself this story and it becomes liberating rather than paralyzing. The number of projects he has done — big and small — exceeds most people, and the number of failures dramatically exceeds most people. He is more proud of the failures than the successes because they represent attempts that met his criteria: Is this generous? Will it connect? Will it change people for the better? Is it worth trying? If a project meets those criteria and he can cajole himself into doing it, then he should do it — regardless of whether it might not work. This philosophy treats failure not as something to be avoided but as the natural cost of doing meaningful work. The mantra replaces the paralyzing question will this work? with the liberating statement this might not work — and I am doing it anyway.
- Meaningful creative work always carries the risk of failure
- The criteria for doing a project should be generosity, connection, and potential for positive change — not certainty of success
- Failure from generous, well-intentioned work is more valuable than success from safe, uninspired work
- The number of failures should dramatically exceed the number of successes
- Evaluate Against the Four CriteriaBefore starting any project, ask four questions: Is this generous? Will this connect people? Will this change someone for the better? Is this worth trying? If the answer to these questions is yes, the project deserves to be pursued regardless of the probability of success. These criteria replace the usual question — will this succeed? — with a question about whether the attempt itself is worthwhile.Pro tipWrite the four criteria on a card and keep it visible when making decisions about which projects to pursue
- Say the Mantra and ShipWhen resistance builds — and it will — tell yourself this might not work and proceed anyway. The mantra acknowledges the fear without letting it become a reason to stop. Godin regularly spends months telling people he is unemployed and between projects — the transition periods between successful ventures are inherently uncertain. Embracing that uncertainty with the mantra is what enables the next venture to begin.Pro tipThe mantra is most powerful at the exact moment when resistance is strongest — usually right before shipping
- Count Your Failures with PrideTrack your failures alongside your successes and aim for a ratio where failures significantly outnumber successes. This reframes failure from a source of shame to a source of pride — it means you are attempting enough ambitious, generous work that some of it inevitably does not land. Godin says he is more proud of his failures than his successes because each one represents a genuine attempt at making change.Pro tipShare your failures publicly — it gives others permission to attempt their own generous work
Godin has launched more projects — big and small — than most people attempt in a lifetime. Many have failed publicly. But each one met his criteria of being generous, connecting, and potentially changing people for the better. His willingness to say this might not work and ship anyway has produced 17+ bestselling books, multiple companies, one of the most popular blogs in the world, and the altMBA — an online workshop that has graduated thousands of students.
Godin developed this mantra through decades of launching projects, writing books, and starting companies, many of which failed publicly. He discovered that the projects he was most proud of were those where he was most afraid of failure but did them anyway because they met his criteria of generosity, connection, and positive change. The mantra became his response to what Steven Pressfield calls resistance — the internal force that prevents people from doing their most important creative work.