"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

• Michael Jordan

Did you know that successful people actually fail more often than people who are not successful? That's because they try more often. So they have many more chances to fail. BUT - they also have many more chances to succeed, which is why they are so much more successful than people who don't try anything.

When it comes to your business, which of these two types of people are you? Do you constantly jump in and try new ideas for improving and promoting your business? Or do you avoid leaving your comfort zone because you are fearful of failing? Business owners who always "go for it" have a higher rate of failure, but their businesses are so much more successful!

Many design professionals pass over some wonderful business-boosting opportunities because they are afraid to fail. These opportunities include:

• speaking

• networking events

• press releases

• calling past clients

• delegating

I completely understand the fear. There isn't enough room or time to describe the fears I've felt relating to the above tasks. But because I understood that even failing leads to greater success, I thought, what the heck?

So I went out and failed a lot. I taught classes that resulted in absolutely no sales. I went to networking events where I stood against the wall, feeling like a fool, hoping that someone would come up and talk to me. I sent out press releases trying to get publicity and got rejected. I spoke in front of large crowds, and my nerves were so bad that I thought I would pass out.

Yes, I can write about a lot of personal failures and humiliations. But here's the best part: I can also write about loads of successes - that I would not have had if I wasn't willing to fail.

So what can you try this week? If you are willing to keep at it, every attempt you make to improve your business will move you closer to greater success - even if you fail.

To your success (and your failures, too!).