The following post I wrote was featured on GovX.com as part of a new monthly series. GovX is a company whose goal is to create the ultimate, privileged, e-commerce destination for active duty, reserve and retired members of the U.S. Armed Forces and related government agencies. Steiner Sports is proud to have a relationship with GovX.
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"I get knocked down
But I get up again
You're never going to keep me downI get knocked down
But I get up again
You're never going to keep me down"
When it comes to entrepreneurism, most people focus on the success of a product or service rather than the process of how it was built. One of the key ingredients towards being a success as an entrepreneur, or having success in any form, is how you respond when you encounter failure. As I always say, the worst thing you can do is make the same mistake twice.
So when you get knocked down, do you get up again?
Look at Jan Koum and Brian Acton, the founders of WhatsApp. After leaving their jobs at Yahoo!, the two looked to further their careers by applying to jobs at Facebook. Neither received an offer. How did they respond? They went on to build a messaging service with no ads and no gimmicks (a big differentiator in the crowded mobile app marketplace) and their company was just bought by Facebook for $19 billion. That's quite a turnaround.
How many times have you gotten knocked down in life and how long does it take you to get back up? Do you blame others for your pitfalls and do nothing about it? Or, do you know what it takes to build yourself back up?
We're all going to get knocked down, but that never means we can't have success. The most successful people in life almost always experience failure on some level.
In sports, there's Derek Jeter. In his first full season of professional baseball, Derek led the South Atlantic League with 56 errors. He contemplated quitting, but has gone on to become one of the greatest baseball players in the history of the sport.
How about in politics? Abraham Lincoln – His family was forced out of their home at the age of 7 and he had to work to support them. He failed in business at 22. He ran for state legislature and lost. He had a nervous breakdown and was in bed for six months after his fiancé died. After making it to the state legislature, he ran for Congress three times. Lost. Then won. Then lost his bid for re-election. Ran for Senate. Lost. Ran again. Lost. Then, he was elected president of the United States and become one of the most beloved figures in American history.
And don't forget, even if you reach the pinnacle of your profession, failure is still all around you. How do you respond?
"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." - Michael Jordan
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To read this post as it originally appeared, go to: http://www.govx.com/blog/58/when-you-get-knocked-down-do-you-get-up-again
