Without This, Failure Is Only Pain (Issue 187)
How I turned my mistake into a new strategy
Recently, I experienced an unexpected failure. It started as one of those silent disappointments when something that should have happened did not.
But when I probed, the answer came back…
I had screwed up. What I thought had been effective enough for years was no longer working.
Maybe times have changed. Maybe expectations have grown thanks to easy access to AI tools and services. Or maybe it was never good enough, and I had been fooling myself. The silent and subtle failures weren’t providing clear enough signals to wake me up before.
However, this time my query returned a clear signal. Finally, I received the data I needed to hear that explained what had gone wrong.
At first, the feedback stung. It usually does, right? No one enjoys hearing that they made a mistake.
You screwed up.
What you created wasn’t enough.
You might not be enough (ouch!).
However, I quickly realized that I had been given a gift. I had received valuable feedback when my failure normally disappeared quietly into a black hole.
So, I immediately took that feedback as a challenge to level up my game. I worked for days to improve my processes, make my materials more valuable, and strengthen my pitch.
Side note: I’m kind of impressed with myself. I went into action within minutes. Hey, it’s okay to praise yourself! We already spend tons of time criticizing ourselves. In the past, my feelings would be hurt, and I would feel so bad about the failure and criticism that I would slide into a mental funk for days. Not this time! Woo hoo! You've gotta celebrate the little victories in life, my friends.
Now, I’m in the middle of testing this new strategy and approach. It feels better, and I know it’s more valuable. I have already heard good feedback from one potential client. But the final outcome remains to be seen. I’ll know more soon…
Failure with no feedback is nothing but pain. We’ve all experienced that.
But failure delivered with data is a gift. Growth can occur when we receive valuable information that helps us change.
Sometimes you receive this information and data when the failure occurs. But if you don’t, go get it!
Dig deeper.
Ask for feedback.
Get the clarifying details you need.
Learn enough so that you can adapt, improve, and try again.
Running a business is hard work. We will never be perfect, and even when things seem to go well for a long time, the rules change and you have to adapt again.
Failure can be a gift when you get what you need from it to rise from the ashes and succeed later.
Have you experienced failure and would like to talk with me about how to turn that into a learning experience? You can schedule a free session any time!
From corporate exec to entrepreneur, Larry Cornett is a coach who helps you leverage your existing expertise to design a self-employment business that funds the life you want. Escape the 9-to-5 grind by creating your Exit Blueprint to freedom!
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