You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it.
No matter how much you have messed up, you haven’t screwed up your life or career as badly as The Man In Black:
- 1965 Los Angeles County Fire. 500+ acres destroyed, $82k fine (almost $900k today).
- Banned from the Grand Ole Opry for smashing stage lights.
- Cheating on his first wife over and over.
- Plus an epic multidecade battle with booze and pills.
And yet the gravelly voice survived, recovering from the self-sabotage and healing. 13 Grammy Awards, both Country Music and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame, and a place in history as one of the most authentic American voices and stories.
You’ve messed up. I’ve messed up. We’ve all messed up in our lives and careers.
Stand back up and get back on that stage.
