For a long time, I thought failing meant I had done something wrong.
Over time, I realized it usually meant I waited too long to test an idea, ask a question, or try a different approach.
Fail fast, fail forward is not about celebrating failure.
It is about ๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ .
What fail fast actually means
Fail fast means ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ.
Instead of spending weeks polishing something in isolation, you put it in front of reality as soon as possible. Reality can be code running, a question asked in a meeting, or trying a new approach even if you are not fully confident yet.
The goal is not speed for the sake of speed.
The goal is ๐๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ.
A technical example from data structures
This idea shows up very clearly in data structures.
In Java, HashMap is a good example of a ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ data structure.
When you iterate over a HashMap and modify it at the same time, Java throws an exception immediately. It does not try to recover or continue quietly. It stops execution so the problem is visible right away.
This behavior is intentional.
The goal is not to make the program crash randomly.
The goal is to ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ, while they are still easy to understand and fix.
Other data structures are designed to be ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐๐๐.
For example, collections like CopyOnWriteArrayList work on a copy of the data. Modifications do not affect the current iteration, so the program continues running without throwing an error.
This feels safer, but it also means issues can go unnoticed longer.
Neither approach is wrong.
They solve different problems.
Fail fast structures prioritize ๐๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ.
Fail safe structures prioritize ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ฎ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ.
Seeing this in code helped me understand the idea beyond theory.
A simple example from backend development
When I started building backend APIs, I would often overthink structure before even running the application. I wanted everything to be clean before seeing if it actually worked.
That usually backfired.
Now I run the application early, even if the code is incomplete. Errors show up quickly. Misunderstandings become obvious. I learn what the framework expects instead of guessing.
Failing fast here means I spend less time being stuck and more time ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
Applying this idea to public speaking
Public speaking did not become easier because I suddenly felt confident.
It became easier because I stopped waiting until I felt ready.
Early speeches were imperfect. Timing was off. Feedback was direct. None of that meant I was bad at speaking. It showed me what needed attention next.
Failing forward meant taking that feedback and applying ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ญ ๐ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐, instead of trying to fix everything at once.
Why failing forward matters more than failing fast
Failing fast gives you information.
Failing forward means ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ ๐ข๐ญ.
Failing forward looks like:
Making ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ based on feedback
Asking a ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ซ ๐ช๐ฎ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง next time
Trying again with ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐๐ญ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ง๐
It is not dramatic. Most progress is ๐ข๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ช๐ฎ๐ข๐๐ญ.
The model I follow
The model I follow is simple:
Try early
Observe what does not work
Adjust one thing
Try again
There is ๐ง๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ญ.
There is ๐ง๐จ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ข๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฐ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐
This is the same approach I use in tech, learning, and preparing workshops.
What I'm working on next
I am excited to share that I will be giving a workshop titled:
๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ง๐๐ซ-๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฉ: ๐๐จ๐ฐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ค ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐
The ideas around failing fast and failing forward are a core part of how I approach public speaking, especially for beginners who feel pressure to be confident before they start.
I will write more about the process, lessons, and practical exercises from this workshop in future blog posts.
Top comments (2)
This really resonates.
โFail fastโ finally clicked for me once I saw it as getting feedback early, not rushing or being reckless.
I also like how you tied it to real examples (HashMap vs fail-safe collections, running APIs early). That framing makes the idea practical, not motivational fluff.
Quiet, incremental progress is such an underrated truth โ thanks for putting it into words.
Thank you so much for sharing your perspective. Iโm glad you found it helpful.