A Typo Loses An Opportunity

Do you ever find yourself fuming over your minor slip-ups that end up costing you precious opportunities?😡

I know the feeling all too well. It's those seemingly insignificant blunders that tend to sting the most – like missing a scheduled appointment because I forgot to check my calendar, or making a typo in an important email. And when you're wired with a Type A personality, driven to succeed, the internal anger can run high and hard.

Just recently, I reached out to multiple companies with a request to sponsor an upcoming event I'm leading and to contribute products. I meticulously crafted the first email, hit send, and then followed the same formula for the next five recipients (a common practice, I'm sure you'd agree). But in one of the emails, I neglected to swap out the company name after a copy-and-paste maneuver. By the time I realized the error, it was too late – the erroneous email had been dispatched. And, as luck would have it, the only response I received was from the one company I had fumbled with. Frustrating, right?

Their response was succinct: "Are you seeking us out or company X?" I swiftly owned up to my blunder, responding, "Absolutely, I meant your company. My apologies for the copy-and-paste hiccup." Their reply, however, caught me off guard and left a sour taste: "We prefer working with partners who invest genuine effort, not those who resort to copying and pasting for quick gains."

Initially, this feedback stung. But after some introspection, the sting transformed into a spark. Instead of reacting impulsively, I allowed myself to mull it over. Countless thoughts swirled in my mind about how to navigate this situation and prove my capabilities to this individual and their company.

Here's where I've landed: that unrelenting drive to succeed is at the core of who I am – a fervent pursuit of success, fueled by passion. I set goals, and I won't settle until they're met. Admittedly, hurdles often happen (this time, a customer service representative), requiring me to to overcome them. Sometimes, the pressure heats up as I chase my goal.

There's nothing wrong with wanting to win, and there's no shame in feeling mad over self-made mistakes that cost us wins. However, experience has taught me an invaluable lesson: not all victories are worth the toll they take on us.

It's essential not to beat ourselves up so much that we lose sight of our ultimate goal. We engage in battles daily, some we win, and others we lose.
🦉It's the endgame that truly matters.

So, what did I do?
I called a different company – one that will value and respect me, and where a mutual win might be seen.