Why 38 Tries™?
I knew kids fell a lot when learning to walk, but I didn’t know this:
The average two-year-old falls down 38 times a day.
That means they “fail” at walking 38 times every single day—yet they still get back up.
As adults, most of us would struggle to withstand that level of repeated failure. But here’s the insight: what if we approached learning new skills, leading through change, or building new habits the way toddlers do—bravely, persistently, and purposely.
That’s the essence of the 38 Tries™, rooted in deliberate practice, pushing boundaries, and growing together. It reminds us that transformation, whether personal, professional, or organizational, isn’t about getting it right once. It’s about building the resilience to try again (and again) with intention and grit.
Principle 1: Define Your Edge
Growth begins where comfort ends. Neuroscience shows that our brains adapt fastest when stretched just beyond what we know or are comfortable with—this is neuroplasticity in action.
For leaders and teams, the question is: What’s your edge?
Is it having candid conversations you usually avoid?
Is it shifting team behaviors around accountability or collaboration?
Is it digging deep to have hard discussions on role realignment after a reorganization?
Without defining your edge, deliberate practice can’t happen. But once you know where the boundary lies, you can structure meetings, projects, and responsibilities to deliberately practice the new behaviors that move you forward.
Principle 2: Push for a Proper Try
In most workplaces, people repeat what they already know, using familiar skills again and again. But real change, like new processes, shifting roles, fresh strategies, requires something different: deliberate practice.
Psychologist Anders Ericsson’s research proves that expertise doesn’t come from repetition alone, but from intentional, effortful practice in areas that feel uncomfortable. This discomfort isn’t failure; it’s growth.
And neuroscientist Michael Merzenich’s decades of work on neuroplasticity backs this up: the adult brain rewires itself through focused, repeated effort at the edge of our abilities. When we practice deliberately, paying close attention, making mistakes, and correcting them, our neural circuits literally reshape to support new skills.
Each “try” should be:
Intentional (you’re practicing a specific behavior or approach)
Reflective (what worked, what didn’t, what will you do differently?)
Stretching (it feels hard because your brain is rewiring)
Yes, it’s easier to stay safe and float in the familiar. But transformation happens when you set even small mile markers for change—and push for a proper try.
Principle 3: Find Playground Partners
Growth accelerates with the right partners.
Research on psychological safety (Amy Edmondson, Harvard Business School) shows that teams learn faster and innovate more when people feel safe to take risks, admit mistakes, and try again.
That’s why you need “playground partners”—peers, mentors, or teammates who encourage you to step to the edge, hold you accountable, and celebrate the progress along the way.
No one becomes a high-performing leader—or builds a resilient, high-performing team—in isolation. Alignment happens when we try, fail, and grow together
Why the 38 Tries™ Matters
Too often in organizations, change initiatives stall because people give up after the first few failed attempts. The 38 Tries Mindset shifts the narrative:
Failure becomes learning.
Discomfort becomes progress.
Persistence becomes culture.
For leaders, this mindset provides a playbook for leading through change—normalizing iteration, building resilience, and fostering authentic team alignment.
Connect with us to learn more today.
