In this issue of Profitable, I’m going to hit you with a sobering truth…
You WILL fail.
(Probably.)
There, I said it. And you know what? It’s not the end of the world.
But before you send me angry emails or curse the day you subscribed, hear me out.
The odds aren’t in your favor of hitting a homer in your first at-bat.
But that’s okay.
MOST success stories you know and admire came after one, two, or more failures.
Let’s dive in and look at a few.
The Colonel’s Refusal to Surrender
Before the chicken icon became a global fast-food giant, Harland Sanders’s journey was littered with failures.
He was fired from multiple jobs, failed a few business startups, and faced various setbacks.
It wasn’t until age 40 that the Colonel pursued his holy grail.
But, his secret chicken recipe was turned down over 1,000 times!
He couldn’t catch a break.
Yet, Colonel Sanders deeply believed in his product’s potential and continued to refine his craft.
After years of blood, sweat, and tears, 62-year-old Colonel Sanders finally opened his first KFC restaurant in Salt Lake City.
His franchise continued to grow, and at 73 years old, he sold the KFC corporation for a whopping $2 million ($15 to 16 million today).
What You Can Learn From the Colonel
Persistence is key.
The Colonel didn’t view each rejection as a failure but as a step closer to the right opportunity.
Now, the Colonel’s story, albeit true, is an extreme case.
Yet, the lesson is steadfast.
Just because you face a few rejections, doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel.
Sure, it will hurt.
But accept it for what it is and continue on your journey.
Arianna Huffington’s Resilient Rise After Every “No”
Before the Huffington Post skyrocketed her to media mogul status, Arianna faced rejection, after rejection, after rejection from publishers.
Not just from her first book either, her second was rejected 36 times:
That’s 36 times she “failed.”
Yet, she persevered and maintained an unwavering belief in her voice and vision.
And long behold, her resilience paid off.
Not just in getting her book published but in establishing one of the most influential media platforms today.
Imagine if she’d given up on the 35th try…
What You Can Learn From Arianna
Resilience is more powerful than rejection.
Arianna’s story is a testament to the power of resilience over rejection. It’s about not letting the ‘no’s’ define you but rather using them as fuel to push you harder, aim higher, and dream bigger.
So, when you’re hit with your next setback in business (or life), face it head-on.
After all, a single ‘yes’ can outweigh dozens of ‘no’s.’
J.K. Rowling’s Magical Triumph Born From Rejection
Before “Harry Potter” cast a spell over the entire world, J.K. Rowling was a struggling writer and single mother who was finding it difficult to put food on the table.
And her legendary manuscript for “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” was rejected by 12 publishing houses.
That’s right, the book that would later enchant an entire generation, was initially a failure.
No Harry.
No Hagrid.
And certainly no Dobbie.
But J.K. continued to refine her manuscripts and hone her storytelling skills, ensuring that when the opportunity came, she was fully prepared.
She even used the rejection letters as badges of honor and inspiration:
Fast forward a few years and, in 1997, Harry Potter hit the shelves, sparking a rollercoaster ride to the top.
What You Can Learn From J.K.
Patience is a necessity.
Overnight success stories are few and far between.
So, take a leaf out of J.K. Rowling’s book and embrace those periods of uncertainty.
Use them to nurture your online business dream, refine your strategy, and prepare yourself for the success that’s yet to come.
Alex Hormozi’s Journey From Debt (& Despair) to Multi-Millionaire
Alex Hormozi’s entrepreneurial journey began with raw determination.
He was sleeping on the gym floor in a city where he was a stranger, working relentless 15+ hour days to build his gym empire.
And Alex’s tenacity seemed to pay off when he sold his gyms.
But fate had a twist in store…
Investing his hard-earned cash into a new venture, Gym Launch, he watched it crumble.
Between issuing refunds from his earlier gyms and grappling with personal setbacks, including DUIs, and his mother’s death, Hormozi was plunged into $150,000 debt.
He failed.
However, the pain became his unlikely muse.
So, drawing on the wisdom gained from his failures, Alex began selling his hard-earned business “secrets.”
And just like that, Hormozi’s new path led to a net worth of $100,000,00+.
What You Can Learn From Hormozi
Embrace each failure as a badge of honor.
Hormozi’s journey teaches us that our greatest hardships can become our most valuable assets.
He learned from each experience. About himself and his business.
So, when you fail, pick yourself back up, learn from it, and wear that badge with pride.
So, What if You Fail?
Well, what if you do?
Contrary to the doomsday scenario playing in your head, failure isn’t a death sentence.
It’s a degree from the University of Life.
For every entrepreneur who made it big on their first try, hundreds stumbled, fell flat on their faces, picked themselves up, dusted off the dirt, and kept going.
The message?
Embrace failure.
Welcome it with open arms.
Because, as Albert Einstein once said:
“Failure is success in progress.”
Now, who could argue with that?
The Best Links:
- Why Learning From Failure is the Key to Success
- The Importance of Failure: 5 Valuable Lessons From Failing
- Embracing Failure: Why its Crucial for Business Success
- The Value of Failure in Business
- Failure is Necessary
Your Next Steps:
If this perspective shift resonated with you, share it with a fellow entrepreneur who might be wrestling with the fear of failure.
Sometimes, a shared struggle can be the catalyst for a collective breakthrough.
Plus, the more referrals we get, the more awesome content we can publish.
Keep failing forward,
Sam Driver
Editor
Profitable.me
