Fail again, and fail better

In the introduction to Chef René Redzepi’s A Work In Progress, Lars Ulrich—the drummer for the band Metallica and no stranger to the creative process—writes: “Creativity is as much about exploring what you don't know as embracing what you do know. Having the courage to wander into your own ignorance, armed with only base knowledge, can be a powerful way to true creativity. When you go truly out there and create something, it's as much a product of what you don't know as a product of what you do.”

Creativity has always had its roots in courage and inherently than in perseverance. I remember seeing, tattooed on a friend’s left wrist, “Fail again”; and on his right, “Fail better.” It’s two-thirds of Samuel Beckett's famous quote: “Try again, fail again, fail better.” (Presumably, my friend Eelke may have left out the first part of the quote either because trying again is already implied in the process of failing again and failing better; or maybe he simply did not have enough wrists.)

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And this is the counterintuitive nature of creativity: that one can still fail, but fail better. To do this, one should not focus on the failure itself, but to focus on the act of refinement. One must face the continual challenge of removing or undoing whatever it is that may stand as an obstacle or a limitation to the act of creation. Creativity isn’t one impulse alone; it is an ongoing process.

Creativity requires you to “wander into your own ignorance”; losing yourself and being vulnerable is essential to courage. That process of exploring the internal unknown and being comfortable with making mistakes is invaluable to the process of creativity.

To set yourself up for public display, to open your ideals to critique or scrutiny, to be utterly vulnerable in the face of it—this is not a sign of weakness. To be able to do this is a sign of bravery. Despite the fear of ridicule, creativity asks us to do our work, and to hold it up to the standards we deem important so that somebody may (or may not) enjoy it.

Find the voices that matter

This is not to over-glorify the work that we do. I remind myself that craft is often honed in solitude and silence, and the reward is that you have accomplished personal milestones. The fanfare and neither praise nor criticism are not crutches to help you keep moving on.

I tell myself that having an inherent purpose is better than focusing on just the outcome.

I remind myself to create spaces where failure is an option: Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. 

That those who fear looking stupid and start anyway accomplish significantly more than those who aim to be perfect before starting anything—they often never start.

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In the intricate dance of creativity, there will invariably be voices, well-meaning or otherwise, eager to weigh in on your labor. It’s inevitable when it comes to creativity.

Regrettably, I cannot say that this becomes less challenging with time; in truth, it does not. But I’ve also come to the gradual realisation, accompanied by a healthy dose of humility, that I have the power to discern whose opinions are truly relevant and helpful to myself and the artistic path I've chosen.

Most people just accept that public opinion is like a pendulum that often dictated by influencers who command a following. While this may be part of today’s reality, it need not define your truth. Reclaiming your narrative involves a conscious decision to determine how important these influencers are within the hierarchy of what truly matters to you. By diminishing their sway over your sense of self, you will find yourself liberated and free to engage fully in your work. But this transformative act requires that first step—that unsure, nervous, vacillating, ambivalent step of courage.

Darren Teoh is the chef-patron of Dewakan, one of Malaysia’s first recipients of a Michelin star in 2022, which was then upgraded to two-star status in 2023. The restaurant has been recognised as one of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2019 and 2021. He is an Asia’s Most Influential 2023 honouree from Malaysia, and was on the Gen.T List in 2017.

This essay is part of Tatler's series of opinion articles from Asia’s Most Influential honourees, featuring a broad range of voices from across the region offering expert perspectives, advice, forecasts and thought leadership.

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