The document discusses removing barriers to lifelong learning through embracing failure. It profiles Samantha Martin and Natalie Canfield, who share stories of their biggest failures in international education. The document provides guidance from design thinkers on failing fast to succeed sooner, and from entrepreneurs on dedicating oneself to what works rather than ideas. A quote from Brené Brown suggests vulnerability is the birthplace of creativity. Resources on design thinking, failure, and vulnerability are also included. Users are invited to reflect on failure and apply lessons to their work in international education.

1. Failure is NOT
the other ‘F’ Word
Remove Barriers to
Life-Long Learning
May 28, 2015
Samantha Martin
Chief Information Officer
samantha@projecttravel.com
Natalie Canfield
Director of Customer Development
natalie@projecttravel.com

3. projecttravel.com
the plan
A Tale of 2 Failures
My Story & One of my Biggest Failures in IE
Design Thinking on Failure
Entrepreneurs on Failure
Shame, Vulnerability, & Creativity
Natalie’s Story & Her Failure
Your Turn
Resources

4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Kvw2BPKjz0 https://youtu.be/B5UTjpRJNhc?list=PLXxTsdF4OoOQG1iBQsALe7671Py25FiCC
A Tale of Two Failures. Featuring…Parkour.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EemFtE9V0R4&list=PLXxTsdF4OoOQG1iBQsALe7671Py25FiCC&index=2

5. projecttravel.com

6. projecttravel.com
Samantha Martin
Chief Information Officer & Co-Founder, Project Travel
And before…
Study Abroad Advisor, SUNY New Paltz
Youth Exchange Officer, Rotary International
N. Ireland Country Coordinator, Educational Cultural Exchanges
Program Coordinator, Int’l Ed. Programs @ Jacksonville U.

8. projecttravel.com

9. projecttravel.com
Guidepost #1
from Design Thinkers
Fail fast to succeed sooner.

10. principles of the lean startup

11. projecttravel.com
pivot
letting go of your original idea or solution because
staying the course will result in total failure

12. projecttravel.com
Guidepost #2
from Entrepreneurs
Dedicate yourself to what actually works,
not your idea of what works.

14. projecttravel.com
“Healthy striving is self-focused: "How can I improve?"
Perfectionism is other-focused: "What will they think?”
Brené Brown in The Gifts of Imperfection
“

15. projecttravel.com
Guidepost #3
from Brené Brown
Vulnerability is the birthplace of creativity.

16. projecttravel.com
Natalie Canfield
Director of Customer Development, Project Travel
And before…
Assistant Director Global Internships, GlobaLinks Learning Abroad
University Relations Manager, EUSA Academic Internships
Sr. Assistant Director of International Admission, Northeastern University
Assistant Director of Admission, Marymount College

17. projecttravel.com
Your turn:
Take 5 minutes to do one
or more of the following…
1. Choose a quote in the center of the table.
Write down what it means to you. Do you
agree? Disagree? Why?
2. Write down a personal failure story. What did
you learn? What more can that experience
teach you now?
3. Which guidepost resonated with you the
most? How can you apply entrepreneurship,
design thinking, vulnerability research, or
other failure perspectives to your own work as
an international educator?

18. projecttravel.com
Resources
Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Tool Kit for Managers by Jeanne Liedtka
and Tim Ogilvie, New York : Columbia University Press, 2011
Failure is not the Other ‘F’ Word, by Samantha Martin, NAFSA Blog April 2015,
Access online at http://blog.nafsa.org/2015/04/16/failure-is-not-the-other-f-word/
#martin
The Power of Vulnerability, Brené Brown, 6 hour Talk, Download it on Amazon.
Parkour Ukemi, Amos Rendao at http://www.amosrendao.com/parkour-ukemi/.
Accessed May 21, 2015
+

19. Samantha Martin
Chief Information Officer
samantha@projecttravel.com
Natalie Canfield
Director of Customer Development
natalie@projecttravel.com
want to continue the conversation?
Booth #1206 in the GoOverseas Pavilion
or, for monthly content on this topic and more, join our
community newsletter at u.gopt.me/community-newsletter

20. What does it look
like to learn from
failure instead of run
from it?
Failure is private to
me. I learn a lot from
failure on my own.
I don’t feel
comfortable or safe
talking about failure
in my professional
life.
I have some great
failure stories. My
friends & colleagues
know them too!