Issue 101: Have You Ever Made a Mistake?

“Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.”
- Eleanor Roosevelt

What do you think is a frequent question podcast hosts ask? I'd love to hear what you think it would be. Leave a comment and let me know.

If you guessed, "What mistakes have you made?", you're right. The first time I heard this question, I paused. What mistakes haven't I made? 

When I taught writing classes at a local community college, I had a section called "Don't Make My Mistakes," and participants loved it. So, is it because we're giving behind-the-scenes insights or because we're raw—sharing our vulnerability? 

I recently met with a colleague who shared that he wanted to leave his full-time career to start a speaking business. In the conversation, he asked, "What was your number one mistake?"

"I've made plenty," I answered. 

Life is unpredictable. We learned that in 2020. Your personal life and business are more productive and profitable when you incorporate systems from the get-go. That was one of my biggest mistakes. 

Here's what I learned.

1. Reverse engineer. What is the result you want? For service industries, it would be happy clients. Start at the end and work backward. Look at all your touchpoints and create a roadmap.

2. Know what isn't a strength. Write your strengths on one side of a piece of paper and what isn't a strength, or what you prefer not to do, on the other side. Be upfront about what isn't a strength because building the right systems is crucial. For example, when I was working with a construction client, he had created this 20-step follow-up system. Knowing him, his strengths, and his business, he'd never use this in-depth plan. Instead, we simplified a system for him, including a few of the follow-up strategies from 13 Simple Client Follow-Up Strategies.

3. Ask for specific help. Knowing what isn't a strength can guide you in asking for help. When I'm stuck reverse engineering a result, I reach out to one colleague who is a rock star in building systems. Why reinvent the wheel?

4. Value others' expertise. Will it take you two or three times longer to complete a task? Does it make sense to bring in a team member? When I started Bounce-Up Chronicles, I knew my operations manager, Amy, had the expertise I needed to manage the backend of Chronicles. Thank you, Amy! 

Bounce-Up™ Momentum

1. What have you learned from your mistakes?

2. What is a task that keeps surfacing?

3. What area of your professional life needs a system? 

Mj Happenings!

• With my first conference booked for 2023, I'll head to Atlanta in February to present Power Team: Up-Level Your Game with Your Circle of Influence. 

• I will kick off the opening keynote with Fearless Comeback, Make Your Bounce Back Your Bounce-Up, for the October Renal Healthcare Conference in Indianapolis. The director sent a fun brag badge. 

Until next time, Power-Up, Play-Up™, and Bounce-Up™!

Mj

P.S. Big news coming in August! Stay tuned!