The Failure, Stress, & Discomfort Index (FSDI)

WARRIOR. SURVIVALIST. HAPPY DENIER. DEFLECTOR. OBSESSOR. PROFESSOR.

The Birth of the FSDI

Failure Lab asks people to think about hard things and doesn’t beat around the bush. We hit you with it right from the beginning - “Hey, fellow human, let’s talk about being uncomfortable.” 

It is interesting to see how different people react to Failure Lab as a concept - first response - “What do you think about an organization that is all about taking a deep dive into failure?”

A lot of people love it. Some people have a hard time wrapping their brains around it. A handful of people hate it - at a visceral level - even seeing the word failure as a part of a program name makes them uncomfortable and anxious.  

Wherever you happen to fall on that spectrum of “feelings about the concept of failure,” most of us can agree that thinking about discomfort is, well…..uncomfortable. 

The FSDI Archetypes were created as a response and acknowledgment of the inherent discomfort of failure-centric conversations, and they serve as the onramp for all of our training and development curriculum.

We wanted to find a way to gently guide people into self-reflection to minimize the risk of unhealthy judgment and triggering reactivity.

The FSDI Archetypes are a tool to bring us back to the beginning. Each of us is a unique mish-mosh of our biology and lived experience. The Failure Archetype Assessment is an invitation to unpack your most instinctual responses to failure, stress, and discomfort. The Archetypes give language and framing that provide enough emotional distance for more objective reflection and analysis.

Accelerated human connection is best achieved through the combination of a psychologically safe space and a compelling catalyst. The FSDI Archetypes serve as that catalyst - inviting thoughtful reflection, vulnerability, and human connection.