Spanx, Success and Parenting Inspiration from a Billionaire's Dad

How did you fail today?

The newly minted, self-made billionaire Sara Blakely was routinely asked this by her father at the family dinner table.

If the creator of Spanx had no answer her dad would comment, “That’s too bad.”

Blakely soon understood that is was OK to take a chance and try something without worrying about the final outcome.

At the next dinnertime conversation, Blakely was able to brag about her attempt at trying something new and her lack of success. This time dad rewarded her with a high five.

I want to high five this dad. His encouragement and support of failure has led to his daughter’s phenomenal success.

As parents, we want our children to succeed at everything they try. If they don’t get all As on their report card we hire a tutor. When they strike out at the plate too many times we're off to the batting cages for some private lessons. 

In our quest for perfection and happiness for our children we have forgotten there are life lessons learned in imperfection and disappointment.

I am guilty of popping a few Tums in anticipation of my family mealtime.

“How was your day at school?”

“What did you get on the test?” 

I begin to cringe even before the answer is out of their mouths.

Reminds me of the day my son decided to leave school and get some lunch with friends instead of going to study hall. As luck would have it, there was a fire drill. The good students lined up for attendance while my son was enjoying a Turker sandwich .

I did not celebrate his failure of not following the rules, nor did I high five the detention he received. I have to admit, when my rage subsided I did have to laugh. Sounded like the scene from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

Bueller, Bueller?

Bruggemann, Bruggemann?

Did he learn a lesson about paying the consequences of breaking the rules? I hope so. Does he have a funny high school story to recount at his class reunion? Yep.

Sarah Blakely stayed true to her father’s message that failure can breed success. The “failure” of a woman’s physique is corrected when she puts on her Spanx. One look in the mirror and the lumps and bumps of too many potato chips disappear as she successfully dresses to tackle the day.

High fives to the Spanx mom and her restored confidence!

Tonight at the dinner why don’t we begin to celebrate our children’s failures as building blocks to their future successes.

The next billionaire may be sitting at the table. Pass the mashed potatoes dear, mom's wearing her Spanx.