It is inevitable that we will make mistakes. And certainly we should learn from them. We should also use the experiences of others as a learning tool. But those experiences are both positive and negative—successful and not so successful. The positive is far more significant and powerful than the failures.

While there are multiple paths to success in business, there are far more roads that can lead to failure. Identifying what doesn’t work is only a part of the struggle. We are still left with many choices, many of which will not help achieve success.

There are many ways to learn from other’s success. Reading biographies of successful businessmen is powerful and inspiring. Networking with successful business owners is another effective means. Perhaps the most effective is to have a mentor—someone who has been successful and will work with you one-on-one to address your specific problems and issues.

Climbing a mountain–or building a business–is hard work. It can be done alone, but the dangers increase. Taking a guide along for the journey helps us identify the dangers and what actions to take to avoid them.