1. If you succeeded for cause, you can often identify exactly what elements are needed for success in the next instance (whereas if you failed, you'll think long and hard about the "lessons" you need to take, but that doesn't leave you with a recipe for success - you may have several more failures to go at your rate)
2. The visceral feeling of soul-searching, of really thinking, of facing reality, isn't something that should be reserved for post-mortems of spectacular failures. Why not all the time? Further, an unexpected success would, for me, lead to just as much deep re-thinking - I wouldn't just adjust my optimism set-point and move on; I'd want the to understand the elements of my success.
Comments
Two reasons he's right:
1. If you succeeded for cause, you can often identify exactly what elements are needed for success in the next instance (whereas if you failed, you'll think long and hard about the "lessons" you need to take, but that doesn't leave you with a recipe for success - you may have several more failures to go at your rate)
2. The visceral feeling of soul-searching, of really thinking, of facing reality, isn't something that should be reserved for post-mortems of spectacular failures. Why not all the time? Further, an unexpected success would, for me, lead to just as much deep re-thinking - I wouldn't just adjust my optimism set-point and move on; I'd want the to understand the elements of my success.