As developers, we typically focus discussions with our team on outcomes that worked, often skipping over the roadblocks and failed experiments along the way. In meetings, we leap to the final solution, highlighting only the success. The product owner and engineering manager are often satisfied with this, as they may care more about results than the underlying technical journey.

The same trend exists in the world of scientific research. Publications overwhelmingly focus on positive results—moments when a hypothesis was confirmed. But in reality, these positive outcomes represent only a fraction of all experiments conducted. Negative results or inconclusive studies, where the initial hypothesis didn’t pan out, are far less likely to be published.

However, these so-called "failures" carry significant value. They can offer new perspectives, ideas, and solutions for future problems. By excluding these results from the broader conversation, we risk creating a biased and incomplete understanding of the state of the art in any field.

This raises an important question: how can we better embrace and learn from our failed attempts? While you don’t need to share every misstep with your coworkers, make it a habit to document these attempts. Logging your efforts, even the unsuccessful ones, can become a treasure trove of insights that might inspire solutions for future challenges.