Near Miss = Near Win
Near Miss: What I call it when you "go for it" with an opportunity, doing all the prep, laying the ground work, really putting your heart and soul into it only to come up empty handed because something went wrong or something came up that you didn't anticipate.
Some people are crushed by it. I use it as motivation to try again.
After all, you're now better at doing all the prep, laying the ground work, and really putting your heart and soul into it. What a blessing that the second time, you'll be that much further along AND be able on anticipate and dodge the very thing that stopped you the first time.
What seems like a "near miss" is actually a "near win".
I think I know what you mean. What is interesting is how we are so tough on ourselves sometimes, and fall head over heals some other times. Slot machine designers have used the psychology of the near miss for years. They understand that if you saw the last reel just miss a payout, you will believe that you are closer to winning next time. Completely false, but demonstrably provable as a behavior. On the other hand, when we get 90% right, for some reason our entire selfworth is wrapped up in the 10%. Good for Vegas, bad for personal progress. Maybe the key is to identify, record and celebrate the progress as you make it, then the missing 10% is just the party waiting to happen...
The thought of near miss = near win comes from my own years of experience and the idea of sharing it came as I'm watching someone else take shots in their startup.
I have had my fair share of near "hits" lately, but I am quickly running out of patience. As an instructional designer, assessment and evaluation or content expert, or as was my goal, an assistant professor of environmental issues, I had no idea that landing that first job would be so difficult. This does not mean that I have given up, just that I need to lower my expectations quite a bit in hopes of getting my foot in the door! I would settle right now for a non-paying internship if I had half the thought it would lead somewhere.
I hope this means there is hope outthere for zynga , we all need it !
Same is true for the "near miss" game mechanics in, for example, match3 games. A great motivation to try it again and succeed for most and a reason to pay/convert for some. Not many players churn after nearly winning a level.