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The Failure Advantage: Why Setbacks Are Your Secret Weapon for Success
Forget everything you think you know about failure. The most successful people don’t avoid failure – they transform it into their greatest competitive edge.Are you tired of feeling like one misstep could expose you—or set you back for good?
If you’re a high-achieving professional who secretly fears failure, you're not alone. You mask it with polished performance, long hours, and constant overachievement. But underneath? Burnout. Doubt. Stalled momentum. The truth success isn’t about getting it right every time—it’s about how you respond when you don’t.
In The Failure Advantage, business transformation specialist Matthew Egan delivers a powerful failure isn’t your enemy—it’s your edge.
Drawing on real-world case studies, cognitive science, and his own setbacks, Matt reveals how our obsession with flawless performance actually stifles the innovation, creativity, and resilience we need to thrive. This book isn’t about celebrating mediocrity—it’s about reclaiming failure as a catalyst for growth.
You’ll learn how
Break free from fear-based thinking that paralyzes your decision-makingTurn setbacks into feedback that fuels smarter, faster progressBuild momentum through imperfect action rather than endless overthinkingCultivate environments where risk-taking and experimentation thriveLead with authenticity—and inspire others to do the sameFrom embarrassing product launches to billion-dollar construction blunders, Matt illustrates how elite leaders and organizations don’t just bounce back from failure—they use it to leap forward.
Whether you're leading a team, building your career, or trying to rediscover your drive, The Failure Advantage gives you the mindset and tools to stop playing defense—and start using failure as your unfair advantage.
Because the real risk isn’t failing. It’s staying stuck.
Editorial
"If you're not embarrassed by your first product release, you've launched too late. This philosophy helped build LinkedIn, and it's at the heart of 'The Failure Advantage.' Through rigorous analysis and engaging storytelling, Matt reveals how our relationship with failure determines our capacity for innovation. This isn't just another book about resilience—it's the essential playbook for transforming setbacks into competitive advantage."
REID HOFFMAN, CO-FOUNDER OF LINKEDIN AND PARTNER AT GREYLOCK
“The ability to learn from setbacks and use them as fuel for growth is an essential skill in today’s uncertain business environment. Matt offers exactly the advice leaders need to build resilience and pursue their true potential”
MARK JOHNSON, BOARD DIRECTOR AND FORMER CEO PWC
"I've worked with Matthew Egan and witnessed firsthand how his approach to failure empowers teams and unlocks potential. In ‘The Failure Advantage’ Matt shares his journey, learnings, and wisdom as a great reference to reflect on our own approach to failure providing practical strategies that any organisation or individual can implement.”
INAKI BERROETA, CEO TPG TELECOM (VODAFONE AUSTRALIA)
If you’re a high-achieving professional who secretly fears failure, you're not alone. You mask it with polished performance, long hours, and constant overachievement. But underneath? Burnout. Doubt. Stalled momentum. The truth success isn’t about getting it right every time—it’s about how you respond when you don’t.
In The Failure Advantage, business transformation specialist Matthew Egan delivers a powerful failure isn’t your enemy—it’s your edge.
Drawing on real-world case studies, cognitive science, and his own setbacks, Matt reveals how our obsession with flawless performance actually stifles the innovation, creativity, and resilience we need to thrive. This book isn’t about celebrating mediocrity—it’s about reclaiming failure as a catalyst for growth.
You’ll learn how
Break free from fear-based thinking that paralyzes your decision-makingTurn setbacks into feedback that fuels smarter, faster progressBuild momentum through imperfect action rather than endless overthinkingCultivate environments where risk-taking and experimentation thriveLead with authenticity—and inspire others to do the sameFrom embarrassing product launches to billion-dollar construction blunders, Matt illustrates how elite leaders and organizations don’t just bounce back from failure—they use it to leap forward.
Whether you're leading a team, building your career, or trying to rediscover your drive, The Failure Advantage gives you the mindset and tools to stop playing defense—and start using failure as your unfair advantage.
Because the real risk isn’t failing. It’s staying stuck.
Editorial
"If you're not embarrassed by your first product release, you've launched too late. This philosophy helped build LinkedIn, and it's at the heart of 'The Failure Advantage.' Through rigorous analysis and engaging storytelling, Matt reveals how our relationship with failure determines our capacity for innovation. This isn't just another book about resilience—it's the essential playbook for transforming setbacks into competitive advantage."
REID HOFFMAN, CO-FOUNDER OF LINKEDIN AND PARTNER AT GREYLOCK
“The ability to learn from setbacks and use them as fuel for growth is an essential skill in today’s uncertain business environment. Matt offers exactly the advice leaders need to build resilience and pursue their true potential”
MARK JOHNSON, BOARD DIRECTOR AND FORMER CEO PWC
"I've worked with Matthew Egan and witnessed firsthand how his approach to failure empowers teams and unlocks potential. In ‘The Failure Advantage’ Matt shares his journey, learnings, and wisdom as a great reference to reflect on our own approach to failure providing practical strategies that any organisation or individual can implement.”
INAKI BERROETA, CEO TPG TELECOM (VODAFONE AUSTRALIA)
216 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 12, 2025
18 people are currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Egan
1 bookMatthew Egan is a business transformation and operations specialist with over 20 years of experience leading change at organisations including Microsoft and PwC. Throughout his career managing teams, working with C-suite executives, and driving transformation projects, he has observed what it takes to succeed at change and transformation.
Matthew is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, and recipient of multiple business accolades, but it’s his personal experience working with Executives and leading teams that shapes his approach. With a passion for learning and growth, he now shares hard-earned lessons from the field, advice, and methods so that others can benefit from his experience.
His book, The Failure Advantage, focusses on one of the most important aspects of transformation: mindset. It explores how our typical relationship with failure can hinder progress, generate anxiety, and limit our potential. Having faced his own professional challenges, Matthew is passionate about helping others transform their relationship with failure.
Originally from Australia, Matthew now resides in the UK. He lives with his wife and son, who continue to teach him valuable lessons about embracing imperfection and finding opportunity in adversity.
Matthew is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, and recipient of multiple business accolades, but it’s his personal experience working with Executives and leading teams that shapes his approach. With a passion for learning and growth, he now shares hard-earned lessons from the field, advice, and methods so that others can benefit from his experience.
His book, The Failure Advantage, focusses on one of the most important aspects of transformation: mindset. It explores how our typical relationship with failure can hinder progress, generate anxiety, and limit our potential. Having faced his own professional challenges, Matthew is passionate about helping others transform their relationship with failure.
Originally from Australia, Matthew now resides in the UK. He lives with his wife and son, who continue to teach him valuable lessons about embracing imperfection and finding opportunity in adversity.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 8, 2025
Matthew Egan’s The Failure Advantage is a refreshing and deeply insightful exploration of one of life’s most misunderstood experiences, failure. Rather than treating setbacks as obstacles to avoid, Egan reframes them as essential ingredients for growth, innovation, and lasting success. Through a blend of research, real-world stories, and personal reflection, he reveals how the most successful people and organizations use failure as a catalyst for creativity, resilience, and reinvention. His writing is clear, engaging, and honest, making complex ideas about mindset and performance accessible and immediately actionable.
What sets this book apart is Egan’s ability to turn what often feels like defeat into a strategic advantage. He doesn’t glorify failure but instead shows readers how to extract meaning, build strength, and cultivate confidence through it. Whether you’re a business leader, entrepreneur, or simply navigating personal challenges, The Failure Advantage will change how you see your setbacks, and perhaps even make you grateful for them. It’s an empowering, thought-provoking read that belongs on the shelf of anyone serious about personal growth and success.
What sets this book apart is Egan’s ability to turn what often feels like defeat into a strategic advantage. He doesn’t glorify failure but instead shows readers how to extract meaning, build strength, and cultivate confidence through it. Whether you’re a business leader, entrepreneur, or simply navigating personal challenges, The Failure Advantage will change how you see your setbacks, and perhaps even make you grateful for them. It’s an empowering, thought-provoking read that belongs on the shelf of anyone serious about personal growth and success.
July 18, 2025
The Failure Advantage by Matthew Egan is a valuable career (and life) guidebook that teaches a very important truth that is often overlooked: failure is not your enemy! In fact, highly successful people typically don’t avoid failure. What sets them apart, however, is how they chose to respond to it. This book teaches that our reaction to failure is what really sets us apart from the crowd and includes valuable tips on how to overcome the fear of failure and how to see it as feedback rather than as a setback. If you’re looking to power up your career, lead a team, or grow your business, then I highly recommend this book!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews