How to Profit from Misfortune
Lest you worry that I've turned to the dark side, rest easy. I'm not going to tell you how to profit from the misery of others.
Instead, I'm going to remind you of an incredibly simple and proven way to profit from your own misfortune:
Keep going.
This works if you:
1. Get turned down for seven jobs in a row
2. Default on a loan
3. Flunk a test
4. Are rejected by your favorite college
5. Screw up the most important presentation of your career
Many sources offer advice for being the most successful, engaging, healthy, attractive and dynamic person. Some of this advice may be helpful, but in my experience, few people are amazingly successful, engaging, healthy, attractive and dynamic.
To the contrary, most people make mistakes every now and then. Many have to work up the courage to be bold, and a significant number of them stumble when they actually are bold.
So the real skill isn't learning a new skill. It's using that skill again and again, even after you embarrass yourself the first five times.
No matter what happens:
Keep going.
Tenacity and persistence matter. Don't repeat the same mistakes again - learn from your misfortunes - but circle back and try again.
The smartest people learn from their mistakes. The happiest people learn from their mistakes.
Take me, for example.
I used to want to be a "thought leader". I was always looking for a big idea that could change the world, or at least the business world.
But then it dawned on me - after about 514 failed attempts to have An Original Idea - that there are already plenty of great ideas in the world. Too many, in fact.
So instead, I now try to share powerful ideas - none of them original - that you already know. My intention isn't to dazzle you with my brilliance. To the contrary, I now would prefer to dazzle you with your brilliance. My path to doing so is to remind you of the best lessons you've forgotten to use.
For example, when misfortune strikes:
Keep going.
***
Bruce Kasanoff is a ghostwriter for entrepreneurs. Learn more at Kasanoff.com. He is the author of How to Self-Promote without Being a Jerk, a quick read about doing well by doing good.
Criminology Graduate (1st class honours)
1 年And how about when you're misfortune is not stemming from your own mistakes or lack of ambition? When life is treating you so incredibly bad that it's even hard to believe and its all out of your control....how do you make money out of that? Just don't say "write a book about it to inspire others...." as my health won't let that happen and ghostwriters would charge me a kidney ??♀? Still waiting for someone who is able to answer this question ??
Researcher ?? Educator, Online Teaching ?? Technical Advisor ?? Data Analyst
9 年Amazing, amazing, amazing; another timeless gem. Thanks Bruce!
Seeking Part Time Position
9 年Makes sense. Keep going!
Mediator | Counselor | Divorce Educator Assisting Counselors, Mediators, Attorneys, Coaches, & Financial Planners
9 年Great article!
Co-founder, Valmore Technologies
9 年Once again, an excellent article. I might just add, how much I resent the fact that people think it is supposedly a sign of weakness to admit a failure in some respect.