What is a Failure CV?

A Failure CV stands as the antithesis of a conventional CV. In a standard resume, we meticulously conceal our failures, showcase our strengths tailored for potential employers, and employ compelling action verbs to magnify our successes.

Conversely, a Failure CV is characterized by:

  • Revealing all our failures
  • Reflecting on our intentions and the original goals
  • Using clear terms to articulate our missteps and the lessons learned

Here is my Failure CV, which I update on a continual basis.

The Purpose of a Failure CV

Encouraging Risk-Taking

Success and achievement can be viewed through the lens of a numbers game—more attempts increase the likelihood of success, assuming relentless effort in each endeavor. However, past successes can paradoxically lead to aversion to risk. After a streak of wins, the fear of failure may grow, prompting a retreat to comfort zones. This was my experience after successes in hackathons, debates, and scholarships; I hesitated to venture into new areas like AI, coding, and entrepreneurship.

A Failure CV serves as a reminder that success is a product of persistence and endeavor. It inspires continued risk-taking and striving beyond the familiar.

“If you never fail, you’re only trying things that are too easy and playing far below your level… If you can’t remember any time in the last six months when you failed, you aren’t trying to do difficult enough things.”

— Elizer Yudkowsky, Inadequate Equilibria (Chapter 7)

Fostering Humility

Pride can often skew the self-narrative, placing one at the center of success. A Failure CV keeps me grounded, reminding me of the factors that contributed to my journey—not genius or talent, but the support of family, the abundance of second chances, and the luxury of time to pursue my interests. This document stands as a humble ledger of the numerous opportunities I’ve been granted.

“Ability is of little account without opportunity.”

— Napoleon Bonaparte

Remembering the Journey

Our memories are selective, often editing out failures. But it is precisely these failures that shape the course of our lives, forging resilience and wisdom. Maintaining a Failure CV ensures that I, and hopefully you, will have a rich tapestry of experiences to reflect upon in later years. It’s the token of a life lived fully, with all its trials and triumphs.

Starting Your Own Failure CV

Creating a Failure CV demands effort but pays dividends in self-awareness and growth. It is a reminder to stay humble in success, to persist in the face of setbacks, and to embrace life’s risks with enthusiasm. Its value lies in its power to make us antifragile, benefiting from the shocks of life’s trials.

“Antifragility is beyond resilience or robustness. The resilient resists shocks and stays the same; the antifragile gets better.”

— Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Antifragile

“The person who has made plenty of errors but never the same one more than once is more reliable than someone who has never erred.”

— Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Antifragile [1]

[1]: While I differ in labeling the risk-averse as ’losers,’ Nassim Taleb’s insight is valuable. Often, the most profound lessons are those learned through personal mistake rather than vicariously through others. It is through our own errors that we evolve as individuals.