Turns Out We Need to Lose

A while back, I was listening to Kevin Hart on a podcast when he started talking about perseverance. He used an analogy that I can’t shake. He talked about going up to bat and striking out. His response was simple: get back in line and swing again. He pointed out that, if you keep going up to bat, two things inevitably happen. 

First, people begin to drop out. They get tired of striking out and quickly convince themselves it wasn’t meant to be, so the line gets shorter. Thus, there’s more opportunities at the plate.

Second, something happens each time you take a swing. You’re actually getting better at bat. You’re learning to read the pitches, your timing improves, and you become a little more confident. Eventually, you’re not the same person who stepped up to the plate the first time.

I loved that analogy because it was so incredibly simple. There was no complicated philosophy about success or a convoluted  ten-step formula. Just keep getting back in line, and this week, I experienced what he meant.

You see, there’s a particular account I have wanted for years. The problem was, they were happy with their agency of record. So while our team waited for the opportunity, we pitched to similar accounts. We researched, strategized, pitched, and lost.

Then we got back in line and swung again. Guess what… we lost.

At the time, those losses stung. It's hard to walk away from something you've poured yourself into and  appreciate the valuable learning experience, but that's exactly what they were. Every swing made us better.

We learned what resonated and what didn't, which questions to anticipate, how to tell a better story, and walk into a  room more prepared.

Then, after a few years the opportunity finally opened up for our dream account. Last week, we stepped up to the plate with every practice swing behind us.

And you know what? We were ready and in the zone. Guess what? We got the account! Which… got me thinking. We spend a lot of time celebrating wins in life. What we don't celebrate nearly enough are all the things that happened before them. Yep, failures weren't detours on the way to the win. They were the training. Had this dream account opened up years ago, would we have been as ready? Probably not.

That's the part of perseverance we don't talk about enough. Sometimes you keep swinging because you're trying to win what's directly in front of you. But sometimes you're practicing for an opportunity you don't even know is coming yet. Failure gives you information that success simply can't.

That’s what I want KR Squared to always keep in mind. .I want our team to take big swings. I want us to go after the accounts that feel slightly out of reach. I want us to share the idea that might not make it out of the room. I want us to try things we aren't completely sure will work. And when they don't work, I don't want the lesson to be, Don't do that again. Instead, I want the lesson to be, What did we learn for the next swing?

Because if you build a culture where failure is something to hide from, eventually people stop taking chances. I want our team to keep swinging.

So if you're striking out at something right now, don't be too quick to decide those swings aren't getting you anywhere. You have no idea what you're getting ready for.

Get back in line. Trust me, the perfect pitch might be coming soon.