Every Mistake is a Step Forward
Every Mistake is a Step Forward
I recently came across that old Steve Jobs video again — the one where he says:
“You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward.”
I’ve seen it a bunch of times, but this time it hit differently. I was reflecting on the last couple of years, and for the first time, I could actually see how things had lined up. The dots made sense.
Every day we make decisions. Some turn out great, others are a mess. But there’s always something to learn. As founders, we're constantly making calls — what to build, how to market it, where to go next. Sometimes we overthink it, stress about what’s right, but I’ve realised it's actually pretty simple.
Trust your gut. Act on it. Learn from what happens.
There’s no one way to do things. It depends on the situation and the people involved. Most of the time, we’re all just experimenting — trying things out, seeing what sticks. Thinking too much slows you down. Doing helps you figure it out.
At Immutly, we started out as a B2B enabler, offering APIs. Somewhere along the way, we felt the pull to go deeper and build a full product — a Digital Product Passport. The market wasn’t really ready, especially in India. But it felt right. So we went ahead.
A year after we shut it down, there are now 7+ startups in India alone building Digital Product Passports. We were early, maybe too early, but not wrong. Looking back, that decision makes a lot more sense now. At the time, it was just a gut feeling we decided to follow.
And that’s the thing — you don’t always know where your choices will take you. But you’ve got to keep going, believing that it’ll lead somewhere meaningful. That mindset shift changes everything: “Whatever happens, it’s happening for me.”
One thing that’s helped me a lot is journaling. Every morning and night, I try to write down whatever I’m thinking. Every decision, every random idea, whatever’s on my mind. It sounds simple, but it’s been game-changing.
Writing helps me see things clearly — not in the moment, but later, when I look back. That’s when the real stuff shows up.
After we shut down Immutly, I wrote one line in my journal: “Be kinder to myself.”
But I didn’t listen. I spent most of that year blaming myself for everything. What went wrong. What I could’ve done differently. The usual spiral.
Then one day, I flipped through my old entries and saw that line again. It hit me. The answer had been with me the whole time. I just wasn’t paying attention.
Since then, I’ve actually been trying to live that — not just for myself, but for others too. And it’s helped. A lot.
Final thought
You don’t always need a master plan. Sometimes the best thing you can do is just take the next step. Make the mistake. Learn from it. Keep a record. Look back when you’re ready.
Chances are, you’ll realise you were on the right path all along — even if it didn’t feel like it at the time.
What’s Next?
I’d love to hear your thoughts:
- Has this blog helped you look at mistakes differently?
- Are there specific topics you'd like me to explore next?
- Would you be interested in a newsletter or blog updates?
I write when inspiration strikes, and only when I have something meaningful to share. Let’s keep experimenting, learning, and growing — together.