Down, But Not Out

My annual summer golf trip is this weekend. Right now, I’m in paradise, getting ready to tee off for the weekend's final round. As I’ve been thinking of the message I want to deliver today, I’m returning to a story from this trip in 2010. 

My best golf buddy and I had a grudge match. In our team competition (in which we were opposing team captains), we always played a singles match on the last day of the trip. We’re both pretty fierce competitors, and every point counts.

Through 14 holes in our match, I was down 4. I wasn’t playing well that day and couldn’t find my swing. Simply put, if I didn’t win every hole the rest of the way, I would lose. The best I could hope to do was scratch out a half point for my team (don’t let the scoring distract you, golf can be weird, just go with it).

On the 15th, I hit my ball into some tall grass around the green. We were struggling to find it, and just as I’m about to take off my hat and concede the match, someone found it. I somehow manage to make par to my friend’s bogey, and I’m still in it!

Then I won the 16th…

And the 17th…

I found myself in the middle of the fairway on 18 (something had apparently clicked in my swing and I was hitting it much better). I hit a pitching wedge to about 20 feet, a simple two-putt for par. My friend found himself with a tough chip from off the green, didn’t hit it well, and the match was over. 

I knew it was only a half point, but it felt like two.

The moral of the story? You never know when you’re going to catch a break, and something is going to click. Even when the deck is stacked against you, there’s an opportunity waiting to be found.

Did my friend fold like a cheap lawn chair? Absolutely not. We were both 10-12’ish handicaps at the time, and golf is a funny game. Nothing out of the ordinary happened; the chips just fell the way they did.

It’s not always going to be smooth sailing

I’ve been reaching out to some sales execs in my network this week to talk about how things are going in their world. I’m getting a wide range of responses (and having some lovely exchanges in the process). 

Some teams are absolutely crushing it, including some that have already met their year-long revenue targets. Others are really struggling, and the buzz around the economy is causing many companies to pay close attention to what they spend and how they spend it. It’s tough.

When the going gets tough like this, for reasons outside of your control, it’s easy to throw in the towel on this year’s goals and wait for another shot when the situation feels right. As weird as it is to type that, I know there’s a lot of it going on.

“If nobody’s buying, then why bother selling?”

What a weak rationale. You’re better than that and capable of more.

Situations like this are ripe with opportunity. If a bunch of your competitors are going to self-select out, then you have a real chance to take significant market share and then ride the rebound to exponential growth.

I’ve seen it happen. In fact, I did exactly that during the last major downturn in 2008-09. I didn’t do anything special, I just focused and executed. Doing the work that others weren’t willing to do paid off in a big way. Seeking opportunities in the obstacles has always benefitted me. It will for you too.

This is all part of the ride

When it’s going great, we like to forget that it’s ever gone bad. Likewise, there are times (and I’ve felt this way too) when you think you might never make a sale again.

It’s easy to forget that the peaks and valleys are necessary. If everything was a win, you’d be bored, and there wouldn’t be any significance to the victories anymore. If all you did was lose every day, your existence would be demoralizing.

So appreciate the peaks for what they are, knowing that you’ll find a relative valley sooner or later. While you’re in that valley, remember what you’re working for, and know that if you’re doing the right things for the right reasons, you’re going to find a peak soon enough.

The real key is taking the lessons from both.

Learn from the journeys of others

One of my favorite (and most recommended) strategies during times like these is to read biographies. You learn that the road to the top was far from smooth for even your heroes and other famous people.

That famous rock and roll band slept shoulder to shoulder in a van on top of their equipment for months in support of their first record (or three). In fact, most rock stars wait years before the money and royalties for even a fantastic record start to pay out.

That leading executive was probably fired a handful of times before she found the right fit (and the right opportunity presented itself) and rose to prominence.

People have overcome illness, adversity, unfortunate circumstances, and near-death experiences. The lessons they learned during those situations (often the deepest of valleys) are what finally sprung them to success.

Anxiety around finances combined with record inflation certainly isn’t any fun, but you owe it to yourself (especially your future self) to learn as many lessons as possible right now. Use times like these to fortify yourself and become more resilient.

Keep swinging

I could have given up in that match back in 2010. As it turned out, the half point didn’t even mean anything, as my team won by a couple of points. But I learned something about myself. I learned that even when I’m down, I’m never out.

You never know when you’re going to catch a break or learn something that will help you right the ship. You certainly aren’t going to benefit by not doing anything at all.

I said this a lot during the first part of the pandemic, and it will always be true. No step is too small so long as you’re headed in the right direction, and you keep taking steps. Just keep moving forward, and you’ll get where you need to go.

Now is not the time to retreat and feel sorry for yourself. Now is the time to lean in, look for opportunities, and take action.

Need help with some perspective? Sometimes all you need is a fresh set of eyes, and I’m here to help. Send me a direct message, or go ahead and book a meeting right here. Our first meeting doesn’t come with an invoice, and you’ll definitely get a few tips that will get you and your team pointed in the right direction.

I look forward to hearing from you.