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Guest Lecture - David Pablo Cohn

Amber Leigh Ortiz

David Pablo Cohn from google gave a talk on FAILURE! After this talk I have never wanted to fail so bad!! I almost can't wait! (Okay maybe I can). His talk was great because it was not only about preparing emotional for failure but for also for what next to fail at to find the right answer. My favorite quote of his talk would be "FEAR of FAILURE = FEAR of PROGRESS" because doing research I realized (fairly quickly) that failure means you have an answer. May not be the right one but you know not to go in that direction anymore, narrows down the universe a bit.

I also agree with him about failing quickly the statement is true in that time is money! Failing on the same thing gets us nowhere but learning from our failures helps us progress. I also enjoyed how he explained he did not know what direction he was going in during undergrad and it took him some time to figure it out. I don't think as undergrads we think about the time it takes to find our future and we don't always read the signs of failure as a need for change in direction.

My questions below are a list more for myself of what I need to remember in research

3 Question I Could Ask

1. Why have I not thought of this? (Pablos post mortem)
2. What could go wrong?
3. What are we trying to accomplish? What do we need to change?
4. Why do I care!!!!????

3 Ideas To Take His Research:

1. I think exploring my own failures would be a good place to help me realize how much success leads to failures
2. I think him exploring the failures that directly lead to his success would have been interesting
3. ALWAYS invite Pablo!! Do a UNM wide seminar on failure!! So students will know the importance of hard work and not simply being smart.