Pharrell Williams: Switch the Word Failure For Lesson

Pharrell Williams - Change Your Perspective

Pharrell Williams talks about the importance of caring for yourself first, and about removing the word failure from your vocabulary, because life is about learning and growing.

Transcript:

"Don't do it for them. This really has to be about you, because if you spend your time doing things for other people, you're gonna look back and go, 'Well, what about me?'

"It sounds like you're being selfish, but I say this all the time. When you're on an airplane and they say if something happens, the oxygen mask comes down. Who do they tell you ... Who should you put the mask on first? The person next to you?"

"Yourself."

"Why do you put it on yourself?"

"Because-"

"So, if you don't pay attention to who you are, you cannot possible be good to the next person. And if you could, ingeniously, it won't last but so long.

"For me, I would say, first off, get rid of the ego. But have you ever noticed when you think you failed, it's the ego in your mind that tells you, 'It's so bad. Everyone's looking at you.' You start to sweat across your forehead, and you're like, 'Oh, my God, I can't believe this is happening. The whole entire world is watching.'

"And none of it is true. When you're doing great, you shouldn't listen to that voice. When you're not doing as great, you shouldn't listen to that voice. Because it's not good. When you're doing great, it's gonna get you hooked on that feeling so that, when you come down and ... 

"Life is a rollercoaster. There's valleys and peaks. When you hit that valley, if you can't deal, then you won't make it. So switch the word failure for lesson. All successful corporations do that. It's called R&D.

"You don't have failures. You have research and development. You just have to change your perspective. There's no such thing as a failure."