What Is Worse Than Failure?

Today, I feel like I’m failing.

Like I AM a failure, and it sucks, but it’s also a perception and a choice to feel this way. It’s not real. Things might not go how I want but I AM not a failure because the only way to really and truly fail is to quit, retreat and give up. It’s easy to do when we put ourselves out there in a new/different/bigger way and our expectations aren’t met. 

I remember years ago during the big “recession” I put out a series of affordable 20 minute mini spa services. I had a back massage, facial peel, a foot massage, and a few other options. I made flyers (my go-to marketing strategy at the time) and I sent a couple of emails.

Nobody booked, and I felt embarrassed in front of my staff, mad at myself for the time and effort I had invested, and I went into full retreat mode. It sucks to put yourself out there and get crickets! 

The truth is I hadn’t done nearly enough to give the new services a chance to catch on, it might take months to get the word out, a client education campaign about the incredible results, getting my staff on board with selling the new services, and just generally sticking with it. 

We do this because it’s easier for our egos to retreat, then there can be that little part of us that licks our wounds and can think “well I didn’t really go all in” so who knows what would have happened if I did? This can look a lot like, “I didn’t have time, it wasn’t in alignment, other people didn’t do their part”. In other words, it’s a lot easier to make excuses than to FAIL EPICALLY and PUBLICLY! 

So, all of that is to say this is how I’m feeling about my latest summit. I would love to run away and hide under a rock, even though I know I’ve just barely started to promote it, I usually get a few sales straight away that keep me motivated and excited. 

Wednesday I launched the ELEVATE Dreaming for Change Fundraiser Summit and so far I’ve only had two sales, and one of those was my mother. It’s a great product with high-quality speakers (as my summits always are) it’s incredibly affordable at only $19, and it’s for an amazing cause.

What could possibly go wrong? OF COURSE, it’s going to be awesome, except that so far it’s not…

It’s been suggested that it’s bad timing with the coronavirus, that it might not be appropriate to share photos of African children right now, or that people are focused on other things. That all may be true, but we create our own truth and our own reality, and I’ve never let what “they” say is the “current climate” tell me what I can or should do. 

• Do I want to fall on my face and fail in front of my mother, who is one of my Summit speakers? That’s a no. 
• Do I want to let my friend Janvier down (he’s also a summit speaker) by not raising the money for the preschool? That’s a no.
• Do I want to show up in the Summit Facebook group if there are only a few people there? Not really...
• Do I wish I had just put together a product I could sell easily and not stretched outside my comfort zone? Sort of? 
• Do I want to face all of the speakers and share that this Summit was a huge flop. Definitely no. 
• Do I believe the children in Butanuka province of Burundi Africa are deserving of the best start in life, including early education and basic nutrition? YES! Do I believe in the Dreaming for Change holistic approach to lifting people up through their programs? YES! My friend Janvier and the Dreaming for Change team are helping women start their own businesses (216 women so far), teaching people gardening and giving them start-up supplies so they have their own resources and improved nutrition, supporting girls finishing high school through scholarships and mentoring, providing early education so children will be successful, reach their potential and thrive in school, and basic nutrition for malnourished children. Hopefully, the feeding program will be phased out as more and more parents increase their earning potential and succeed in their gardening efforts. 

This is why you won’t see me giving up. Whether you buy a ticket or make a donation or not, stay tuned if you want to watch a show about not giving up! And whatever your dreams are, don’t give up on those. 

Now, check out this summit, watch the video and get to know my Dreaming for Change teammates, check out the great presentations and get your ticket!