Sometimes the simplest things are the most profound. 

Sara Blakely founded Spanx in her late 20s. The company made $4 million in sales in its first year and $10 million in its second year. In 2012, Forbes named Blakely the youngest self-made female billionaire in the world. 

In an article about Blakely in Inc. magazine in 2017, she discussed how the best career advice she ever got came from conversations with her father as a child.

Blakeley is clearly a successful businesswoman. But the best advice she ever has received is not about success at all, quite the opposite. 

In the article, she talks about how, as a child, her father would sit her down at the dining room table and ask her the same question: 

"What did you fail at this week?" 

He didn't want to know about her grades at school or if she passed all her tests, or how well she did in sports practices that week. 

Blakeley explained he wanted to know what she had specifically failed at that week. And when she would reply, his reaction was to give her a high five.

Yes, that's right; he high fived her. For failing.

In retrospect, nearly every day growing up, Blakeley's father forced her to reflect on something she'd failed at, share it, and then showed her that not only was she still loved after failing, but she was celebrated for it. 

In an interview for Fortune, Blakely said, "I didn't realize at the time how much this advice would define not only my future, but my definition of failure. I have realized as an entrepreneur that so many people don't pursue their ideas because they are scared or afraid of what could happen. My dad taught me that failing simply just leads you to the next great thing." 

Blakely failed the LSATs (law school entrance exam) twice before founding Spanx. She said about that time of her life, "It was one of many tests that showed me how some of the biggest failures in our lives just nudge us into another path." 

Those who are successful often say one of the main reasons they got to where they are is by taking risks. They talk about the importance of taking leaps, which sometimes means falling. For example: 

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." --Robert F. Kennedy

"Failure is another steppingstone to greatness." --Oprah

"I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." --Thomas Edison

How many times were you told taking risks is good but failing is OK sometimes? How many times have you said that to other people to encourage them to try something? In our own lives, we tend to shy away from taking risks for fear of failure. Probably because we grew up in homes or schools that tended to only reward "success" and perfectionism.  

Changing your mindset to try and be Ok with failing, is not going to be by convincing yourself of it intellectually. The article states that it's going to be by actually doing things you're not sure of or good at, then being proud of yourself for failing. It's not just the failing that'll help you get there - it's the encouragement for trying in the first place. 

So, what have you failed at this week? Have you failed to implement Ninja Selling practices in your business? Have you failed to stick to your Business Plan? Did you fail to make a Business Plan? Did you fail to stick to your schedule?

If you can't think of anything, go find something you tried and failed at, anything. Think back to it, and how it felt. Then give yourself a high-five for trying in the first place. 

Then go fail again. And again, until you get it! 

It's not about perfection, it's about effort! Get back to it and try again.