I was asked today, “How do you get over a failed business?” I was also recently asked, “How do you get over a shattered life?”

Life is going to bring us all kinds of storms ~ rejection, setbacks, illnesses, unexpected developments, bad luck, failed relationships, failed business endeavors, plans that backfire, people that let us down, discouraging words, etc.

The storms are inevitable! How we weather these storms is up to us.

During my days as an Alaska commercial fisherman, I saw many a big storm (60ft waves in a 90ft boat was probably the biggest).

When the storms got big enough, we were forced to do whatever was necessary to weather the storm (anchoring up on the leeward side of an island and then still having to take anchor watch because the wind was moving us anchor and all, or slowly jogging in the wrong direction). Once the storm came down we would get back to fishing.

Can you weather the storm?

about a 40ft wave

We need to weather life’s storms and then get back to it – that is if we want to have great lives and successful businesses/relationships/careers.

If we read the biographies of famous entrepreneurs, they have all experienced big storms (usually many) and then they got back to it. Compare this to the guy I talked to years ago. He had an idea that he was trying to bring to market and he failed. When I asked him about coaching with me he said that he was done. That was it. That was his one shot and he failed. He had given up. The storm won.

Thoreau said, “the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”

Why is that? Because the storm won. They gave up on their dreams, change became impossible, the pain of rejection became too much. The storm won.

So how does one learn to weather the storm? I could write a whole book about that. And a short answer – personal growth, willingness to change perspectives, clarity of purpose and vision, and working with a great coach (which will help with all of the above).

p.s. there are calm days too.

That’s me taking a call on the codfish phone