Survivorship

Survivorship refers to the phenomenon where we focus on successful people, companies, or ideas while overlooking those that failed or disappeared. This can create a distorted view of reality, as we may assume that success is common and attainable without recognizing the numerous failures that preceded it. For example, when we admire successful entrepreneurs, we often ignore the many who tried and didn’t succeed. Understanding survivorship helps to remind us that success often involves risk and many setbacks, and it encourages a more balanced perspective on achievements and challenges.