Since I was a kid, I’ve heard the term “it’s just business” following other phrases like “don’t feel bad”, or “it’s not you”, or “you gotta do it”. I don’t want to make a blanket statement for all people and scenarios, but for me, it’s never just business. Whether it was sitting on the bench on my 13-year-old Babe Ruth all-star baseball team, losing a sale, or having to let go of employees, I have always taken things personally. For years, I thought that my interpretation of decisions and outcomes as being personal was wrong. I viewed it as a weakness. I’d tell myself: “Snap out of it. Stop being a baby. It’s just business.” It never worked.
You know what? I’m glad it never worked. I can’t believe that anything great was ever created by someone who didn’t take it personally. Edison, Shakespeare, Oprah, and Musk never saw their journeys as businesses. Brady, Spielberg, Streep, and Adel take their performances personally. The great ones are great because they take their time and efforts personally.
I’ve had some pretty low times after losing, but I’ve also had some wildly high times from winning … I think that’s what they call life.
So, when you lose a sale or a cornhole game, take responsibility for it. You can do better next time. Take it personally. It’s ok to lose, and it’s ok if it’s your fault that you lost. Learn from it and improve every time. If you find yourself accepting: “It’s not me – it’s a business decision”, kick yourself and find out what you can do better the next time. Once you start doing this, you’ll feel an amazing sense of control that you lacked before.
Embrace your next loss and take it personally.
