Researchers at Stanford University once divided participants into two teams and gave them the same challenge: design a protective device that would prevent an egg from breaking when dropped. Both teams were provided with identical materials—wire, wooden sticks, cardboard, rubber bands, and toilet paper—and the same time limits: 25 minutes for planning and 15 minutes for construction. There was only one difference. Team A received a single egg for testing, while Team B was given a whole carton.
With just one egg, Team A poured all their energy into creating the perfect design from the start. Team B, on the other hand, had plenty of eggs to experiment with. They tested different designs, learned from each failure, and gradually improved their protector. When time was up, both teams attached their devices to an egg and dropped them from increasing heights. As expected, Team B emerged victorious. Team A’s egg cracked at about 100 centimeters, while Team B’s survived a drop from 185 centimeters.
This experiment demonstrates that small, repeated failures can actually increase the chances of success. The outcome changes dramatically depending on your approach—whether you proceed cautiously, afraid of failure, or whether you embrace the risk of failure, learning from each attempt. Often, what we gain after something breaks teaches us far more than what we gain from never breaking at all.
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