Obstacles, Failures and Winning

We saw a dozen teams at the 13th Microsoft Imagine Cup on the Microsoft campus in Redmond.  Our judging category was World Citizenship. 

During the hands-on session, I asked some of the teams what was their most difficult moment, the set-backs and obstacles they had to overcome.

One team said it was their first software versions crashing on the phone. Another said it was getting the sensors to stick and re-stick. One team said it was getting the basic parts into their country to build the prototype. 

In the world of innovation, failure is a milestone. Each of these teams overcame the setback and were among the teams invited to the world championships.  They learned, they adjusted, they found a way. The drive to succeed just may be the straight line on a crooked path.