Your Last Hurrah?

“Don't live down to expectations. Go out there and do something remarkable,” Wendy Wasserstein, American Playwright (October 18, 1950 – January 30, 2006)

You have a few spectacular failures under your belt, but you have carefully evaluated them, and now know where you went wrong. You have made adjustments, and are ready to try again. But no one in your present circle of influence believes in you, and they think that you should get a job like most, even if it is at minimum wage. Deep in your heart, you know that this is what you were meant to do. You know that you are on the right track. All the previous failures prepared you for this one big moment, your last hurrah. What do you do?

“When the world says, "Give up," Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."” Author Unknown

Most über successful people failed forward to success. And like you, have had some spectacular failures. Linda Hollander, The Wealthy Bag Lady, had two failed business before she achieved spectacular success. Ms. Hollander evaluated what she did wrong the two times before, and realized that no one succeeds alone, so the third time she made sure that she had her team of advisers, which comprised of people she can call on for quick answers, and who will hold her to her vision. Henry Ford, the founding father of the Ford Motor Company, failed and went broke five times before he succeeded. R. H. Macy founder of Macy’s the popular US retail chain, failed seven times before his flagship store in New York City caught on and became a mega success. Eighteen publishers rejected Richard Bach's story about a "soaring eagle." Macmillan finally published Jonathan Livingston Seagull in 1970. By 1972, over 1 million copies were in print and in 1975 it had sold more than 7 million copies in the U.S. alone. Jonathan Livingston Seagull remained on the New York Times Bestseller’s List for 38 weeks. Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper because they said he lacked imagination and had no original ideas. Walt Disney went on to build the Disney empire where so many have stepped into the world of imagination.

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." Confucius

It is okay for you to feel some angst because you have experienced failures, so you know what it sounds, feels and tastes like. But you should not give up, you should fulfill your destiny if the new business idea aligns with you mission, vision and purpose. No one can keep you down, only you can do that. Ask successful people who have traveled your path to be on your advisory team, many will be happy to do so. In addition, create your Board of Invisible Mentors, which is comprised of unique leaders who you can learn things from. Individuals on your Board, can be living or dead, but have (had) the attributes that you are looking for and have traveled further down the path you are heading. Study these people, devour the books they have written, the books that influenced them, interviews, speeches and presentations they have given. With the Internet, and other technologies, information is at your fingertips. Become a guru on your invisible mentors so that you can think and act like them.

“You must have long-range goals to keep you from being frustrated by short-range failures.” Charles C. Noble

So what is next? Now that you are a guru on your invisible mentors, develop a plan for where you would like to go and how you think you will get there. Look at where you are now and where you want to go. To achieve the spectacular success that you deserve requires closing the gap. Project yourself just beyond the prize, the end result. In martial arts, when students are breaking wood or cement blocks, they are told to focus just beyond the block to prevent them from injuring their hands or feet. Looking beyond your goal gives you something to do after you have accomplished it, so you keep on going to even greater success. Visualize what you did immediately before you won the prize, and before that, and so on, working backwards from your goal until you are where you are now. Reverse the backwards steps and test them by going forward. Work with singular focus to win the prize, but if opportunities or ideas present themselves that align with your plans, and you can quickly incorporate them, do so because the universe might be conspiring to help you. You do not know what you do not know, so take it one step at a time.

"It ain't over till it's over." Yogi Berra