Almost Everyone Gets Failure Wrong

No matter how hard you try, some form of failure is inevitable as a Solopreneur.

But that’s not as bad as it sounds.

Because failure can (and likely will) be a major contribution to your long-term success - if you’re paying attention.

Today I’m introducing three simple tips for navigating failure.

Let’s dive in.

Mistakes are Lessons in Disguise

Most people dread failure. Fear it. Get utterly paralyzed by the idea of it.

But every mistake you make can be a lesson that moves you closer to your desired outcome.

Sure, messing up makes you feel like you’re the biggest loser and everyone is looking at you.  And it’s natural to feel deflated.

But the difference between the winners and the losers is all in how you bounce back from the dark times.

So how can you turn setbacks into comebacks?

Here are three practical ways, with some real-world scenarios:

Tip #1: Pause and Reflect

First thing’s first — before you start diving into another project, take a breather. Allow yourself some time to sit with your failure. Because you won’t learn anything if you’re moving fast and not paying attention to what happened.

Example - Let’s say you launched a digital course and the sign-ups were less than you hoped for. Don't just shrug it off and plow ahead.

Instead, lick your wounds and take some time to look at your marketing strategies, your target audience, and your landing page. What did you put out there that can be improved upon?

At first glance, it might be difficult to suss out the 'why' behind your failure. But spend some time looking at the data, making some hypotheses, and ranking them based on their likelihood to be true.

You'll be better equipped to navigate challenges down the road if you can learn to practice self reflection. “What could I have done better here?” is a powerful question to consider when failure pops up in the middle of your grand plans.

Tip #2: Adapt Your Strategy

When you have an idea about what went wrong and what could be improved, your next step is to adapt your approach, based on your guesses.

If your digital course didn't get enough sign-ups, maybe it's time to tinker with your marketing tactics.

• Is your website so clever that it’s confusing your potential customers?
• Maybe your landing page doesn’t clearly explain what you’re selling.
• Perhaps you need a lead magnet that showcases value before people will fork over their hard earned dollars.
• Or maybe you could try ads instead of relying on organic social media.

There are many reasons why something might have failed.

I recently had a conversion problem with a landing page, and I was introduced to Ryan Deiss, who was kind enough to help. He shared a Loom video with some very obvious opportunities for improvement (in retrospect), and I had this major “a-ha” moment.

Sometimes we’re so close to our own projects that we can’t see the writing on the wall. So remember to ask for help when you’re feeling bewildered. You’ll be impressed by the valuable information people will give you - if you’re open-minded and willing to listen.

Tip #3: Take Informed Action

Now that you've made some hypotheses, asked for help, and gathered new insights, it’s time to do something with that valuable information.

For example, you might re-launch your digital course after making the necessary tweaks to your website, landing page, or social strategy.

You want to monitor your metrics closely this time.

Did the sign-ups improve?

Did your changes negatively impact your outcomes?

How did the needle move, and in what direction?

Regardless of the outcome in this step - remember that every step you take — right or wrong — gives you valuable data that can help you get closer to success.

And on this topic - it’s worth mentioning- Make sure you give your tests enough time to produce enough meaningful data. In other words, don’t jump to conclusions based on a single metric or a small amount of time.

Be patient. Things take time.

And that’s exactly where most should-be Solopreneurs give up.

Being patient might be the most challenging thing ever. But if you can manage it, there are a whole lot of benefits on the other side.

Your Journey, Your Rules

Being a Solopreneur is a wild experience that comes with unique challenges, no doubt.

But remember this. When you hit a wall, or you stumble and fall - it's not the end of the world.

Micro failures are just small signals telling you there are other directions to explore. That you haven’t arrived at your destination quite yet.

I hope these little tips will help you navigate your rough patches. And maybe they’re just the push you need to get you back on track and keep going.

“A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”