Own It: Treat Your Success and Failure the Same

Do you know why you recently had some success or why you recently failed?

Didn't get that raise? Got dumped or fired?

Or...

Got the promotion? Won a big game? Got into the school you wanted? Made that big sale?

Seriously...do you know why?

What did you, your team, your group or your company do to win?

Stop and take a minute to understand the loss or the win. Reflect on what happened. Maybe if you do that you can duplicate the work to make the next thing better than this one?

I was sitting recently talking to my friend Quentin Hillsman, Head Coach of Syracuse Orange Women's Baseball Team team who tasked his players with reaching the Final Four. Last spring he told them, "Tell me three things we did this past season that elevated our team to the Final Four," (which was the first time in school history, by the way.

Several replies came back, and all were different.

He quickly responded, "Then work on these things to get to the next level as a team. You don't need me to be on the court everyday telling you what you already know...winning is the most important thing for us."

So, what is it that separates you and your team that enables you to win? Are you working on that thing everyday day? Or, do you need your coach or boss to push you toward the things that are most important?