Penicillin, microwave, X-ray, gunpowder, plastics...

They were all accidental discoveries that started as failed experiments. In each of these cases, the inventors were seeking a specific outcome and instead got a different outcome. But instead of throwing away their “failed” experiments, they did something very different from most people: they asked why.

Innovation experiments are no different. Achieving breakthrough is a rigorous search. The reason the hockey-stick trajectory has a long flat portion at the beginning is because before you can find a business model that works, you have to go through lots of stuff that doesn’t.

Secrets live in the flat portion of the hockey stick curve

Breakthrough insights are often hidden within failed experiments. The key to breakthrough isn’t running away from failure but digging in your heels and asking why.

Replace "failing" with "learning".