In my series of small thoughts about business, goals and life, here are a few lines on failure.

When I look back to the goals I have set myself during the life time of this blog, I quickly notice that many of them haven’t happened as planned. But there is a funny thing I’ve noticed: I haven’t failed — my goals are just taking longer to achieve than I thought at first.

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What should you do if you want to learn how to use a knife?

Buy a book? Wrong.

Ask a friend to teach you? Better (assuming he knows how to use a knife), but still not quite right

Go to Mad Dog – the guy who makes knives, breathes knives, thinks about nothing else than knives? Correct.

That’s how Neil Strauss would do it.

Emergency is an interesting book about preparing for the worst case scenario when the world falls apart around us and everything comes crumbling down. But interestingly enough, the biggest thing I got out of it was not how to survive in the scary future but how to learn like a pro:

1. Go to the best expert in the field.
2. Take in all the knowledge you get from them.
3. Practice. A lot.

When you find a new skill that you are lacking, write it on a “to learn” list. Then repeat the steps above.

That’s it.

Back in January, I told you I was joining the Train for Humanity team to help redesign the web site to support adding new athletes. Now, the next version is finally up and running, and there are already eight new members training to make a difference – including myself.

Train for Humanity is all about everyday athletes, normal people like you and me using their sports training to collect money for a humanitarian cause by driving people to their sponsorship pages (every athlete is dedicated to collecting $1000) through their blogs, Twitter profiles and other social networks both on and off the line.

Here’s what my friend and Train for Humanity founder Mark Hayward writes about the project’s current goals: 

All funds from phase two will go directly toward supporting the Darfur Peace & Development Organization’s (DPDO) school project. DPDO supports the operation of fifteen elementary schools in North Darfur and they are responsible for teacher salaries and providing classroom supplies (Total Enrollment: 8300 students; Teachers: 160 plus 56 support staff).

I started with just one goal in January, but the training has been so exciting and running so much fun that I decided to add a second goal for later this year:

1. On May 9th, I’m participating in the biggest yearly half marathon event in Finland, Helsinki City Run. 
2. And if everything goes well, I will continue the training, and participate in Finlandia Marathon on September 12th. 

As the first event is getting close, I can’t wait to get to the starting line. But I still have never actually run the 21 kilometers it takes to complete a half marathon. That distance already makes me humble. I’m not even thinking about the full marathon distance yet.

You can help us make Train for Humanity a success and bring relief to the children of Darfur by sponsoring any of the Train for Humanity athletes:

• Laura Palmero
• Bernie Tretta
• Terena Ahlers
• Vaishnav
• Deb Brown
• Claire Bronson
• David Spence
• Jarkko Laine
• Leo Babauta
• Mark Hayward

Also, Train for Humanity is still looking for new people to join the ranks of athletes. If that’s something you’d like to do, you can send a note to trainforhumanity@gmail.com and tell a bit about your plans. I’m pretty sure you’ll be accepted.