Join as we uncover the unseen moments that shape leadership. Dive into candid, unfiltered stories from leaders as they share their pivotal, sometimes scary, embarrassing, and inspiring choices. Each episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at the decisions that shaped their paths, the lessons learned, and the actions they took. It’s not just about success; it’s about the raw, real, and relatable experiences that inspire YOU to recognize your pivotal moments, believe in possibilities, and take action. Join us for a blend of humor, honesty, and insight as we explore those “what would you do?” moments to lead through life’s turning points.
[00:00:00] Erin: We've all hit those walls. Maybe you've pushed yourself to try something. You're a little nervous about starting a new job, wanting to turn your ideas into a book, maybe you're working towards a big promotion, or maybe it's a personal goal. Training for a marathon, wanting to buy a house, finishing that screenplay.
[00:00:19] Erin: How do you handle the hardships, repeated rejections, or telling yourself that you don't have what it takes, but when the going gets tough, how do you keep going? Is this a learning experience or is it time to leave it all behind? Now, setbacks don't define your potential and they can even motivate you to work harder. This episode is about inspiring you to take on those projects or goals or crazy dreams with some examples of others who've pushed past the fear and the tough times with resilience and courage, and help inspire you to do it too.
[00:00:55] Erin: I'm Erin McCormick and welcome to the Inspire Lounge where leaders share their pivotal, sometimes scary, embarrassing, and real life lessons that inspire you to recognize your own pivotal moments, believe in possibilities, and take action in your life. Let's go.
[00:01:12] Erin: The word resilience can strike a chord in, in some people. If you ask anyone who was a senior in high school, 2020 during COVID, they'll probably tell you that they are so tired of being called resilient. My daughter is one of them more about her in a minute, and there's a difference between resilience and courage. Resilience is often about enduring tough times, but courage is about stepping back into the ring even after a setback. And sometimes it, it's not about bouncing back, it's about the bravery to face a similar situation one more time, with renewed purpose. And the power of this one more try, that small decision to give it one more shot, even when you're unsure or feel unprepared can lead to transformative moments.
[00:02:13] Erin: Success doesn't always happen on the first attempt, and sometimes the second chance is even more fulfilling. It's not just the resilience to survive tough times that matters. It's the courage to take another shot at something you missed even when it feels like a long shot. Today I'm sharing a story about courage, grit, and how those one more try moments can redefine what success looks like in your life and the surprising lessons that come from it, and whether you're facing your own moment of uncertainty or just looking for some inspiration to take that next step. There's something here for you. We'll be talking about the power of one more try. Redefining success after setbacks, the dip, dead ends, and knowing the difference and questions to ask yourself to help you figure it all out.
[00:03:03] Erin: So back to my daughter and my story from this weekend. So she was class of 2020. It got gypped out of her senior year in high school. And yes, there were so many devastating things that happened to people during COVID, and we were blessed to have gotten through it all, but still for a minute, just let me vent.
[00:03:23] Erin: So all the things that my daughter missed as a senior, one of the worst was that the school musical Into the Woods was canceled the night. Before, so let me back up. Her freshman year, she joined the theater group and was in the ensemble for the Wizard of Oz, go Munchkins. When she was a sophomore, they asked her to audition for a solo.
[00:03:50] Erin: So imagine you're 15 on stage and your peers are all in the audience watching you try out. You remember being 15, right? She forgot all the words and totally flubbed it. She gently pleaded to the director, you know, can I please try that again? Her friends were cheering words of encouragement from out in the darkened auditorium. Come on girl, you got this. Take two. The piano starts. She messed it all up again.
[00:04:21] Erin: Right? Your worst nightmare, right? When you think of public speaking or performing, you know what if I forget all the lines or make a mistake or make a fool of myself? Well, yeah, she did that. When she was telling me, she said, mom, it was so awful and there's no sugarcoating it, it was awful.
[00:04:40] Erin: But that is the worst, right? So that is what everyone fears and now you've done it. You've got that outta the way and you don't have to dread it, you got through it, right? That's my my encouraging words. Hey, you've experienced what most people are petrified of and you live to tell the the tale. So that's done. Check. They gave her a small dancing part that year.
[00:05:02] Erin: So junior year, she wasn't even gonna go out for the show. Not even the ensemble. Enough is enough. Why put myself through that? Someone convinced her to try out at the last minute, and she got a small part with the few lines in a song. We didn't even know she could sing.
[00:05:18] Erin: So it was a big deal when she auditioned for one of the leads, her senior year. I was with her when she got the news that she got the part. Opening night was Friday the 13th. We should have known better. March, 2020. It was canceled the night before it opened. She never got her chance. All that work, all that courage, it was heartbreaking. So life goes on. She is resilient, blah, blah, blah. So I was a bit surprised when, a few months ago she asked me for a ride to an audition, uh, excuse me? She was auditioning for the same show Into the Woods at a local community theater four years later. She really just wanted to see if she could do it. She didn't know anyone. What did she care if she flubbed it all up?
[00:06:13] Erin: At the audition, people were giving their resumes and their headshots. You know, I was in the Tempest, I was Rizzo in Greece. I was almost in a high school musical. I don't have a headshot. She got a callback for a different role, but still one of the leads. Driving to the second audition. There were hurricane warnings that night. Branches had fallen in the street. Roads were closed. Police were redirecting traffic, but I was determined we are getting to that audition. She got the part.
[00:06:46] Erin: After that initial excitement, she didn't know if she should take it. It was out of her singing range and she didn't. Think she could sing that part. She's thinking, it's gonna be awful. I can't do it. And now here we are, this past weekend, I watched her receive a standing ovation in the show. She never got to perform in high school. Seeing that huge smile on her face and sheer joy and pride surrounded by cheering friends and family, one of life's really great moments.
[00:07:18] Erin: And it's not just about resilience. It's about the courage to keep showing up even after an embarrassing loss, even if you don't quite believe you can do it. It's about that small, often overlooked moment when you decide to try one more time, not knowing if it will work out, but believing it's worth a shot.
[00:07:40] Erin: I'm so proud of my daughter for creating her moment as a reminder that life setbacks don't define us. It's how we keep going, keep dreaming, keep stepping forward and into the unknown that matters. And sometimes that courage gets rewarded in unexpected ways, but just don't call her resilient.
[00:08:01] Erin: So you've probably all heard the story about Thomas Edison, when inventing the light bulb. He reportedly failed over a thousand times before finally succeeding. When a reporter asked him how it felt to fail, so many times Edison famously replied, I didn't fail. I've just found a thousand ways that won't work. I wanted to share with you three examples of some other famous setbacks or courageous one more tries. See if you can guess who these are.
[00:08:33] Erin: This first person was fired from a newspaper job because his editor felt he lacked imagination and had no good ideas. He went on to start several businesses, all of which failed. Leaving him broke. As a young man, his first studio went bankrupt, leaving him with just $40 to his name. He scraped up the money to move to Hollywood and start over. His creation of Oswald, the Lucky Rabbit, seemed like a breakthrough until his producers stole the rights and most of his animators.
[00:09:07] Erin: On a train ride back to California. Feeling defeated, he sketched a new character, a cheerful mouse named Mortimer, which his wife convinced him to change to Mickey. Yes, that was Walt Disney. Lack of imagination, Walt Disney. And that's not the end. He was rejected from over 300 bankers, but his belief and his vision never wavered. Mickey Mouse became a sensation launching Disney's career and laying the foundation for his entertainment empire.
[00:09:38] Erin: Even as his company grew, Disney faced setbacks, he borrowed $50,000 the most allowed from his life insurance policy to fund Disneyland and Disneyland's opening day in 1955 was so full of unexpected challenges that it became known as Black Sunday by park employees. The Mark Twain riverboat started to sink. It was overloaded with guests. Water fountains didn't work. Rides broke down. Women in high heels kept getting stuck in the freshly laid asphalt, which was melting in the sweltering a hundred degree heat. A gas leak in fantasy land, temporarily closed half the park. But by the day's end, Disney and his team had their proof of concept that they needed. Although only a handful of rides were ready, they were a hit. Families loved the theme lands and demand was definitely there.
[00:10:34] Erin: When asked by reporters how we felt about the park's, incomplete pieces on opening day, Disney had a genius spin on it saying, I don't expect the place will ever be finished. That's what I like about it. It will always be growing. His persistence and attention to detail transformed the park into a beloved destination. In his unwavering optimism and ability to dream big, turned initial failures into lasting success, creating a legacy that continues to bring joy to millions worldwide.
[00:11:09] Erin: Two more stories. Can you guess who this is?
[00:11:12] Erin: As a teenager in Canada, his family fell on hard times. Eventually becoming homeless and living out of a van. To help support his family. He dropped out of high school and worked as a janitor. Despite these hardships, he never lost sight of his dream to become a comedian. He performed standup routines wherever he could, often facing indifferent or hostile audiences. He famously wrote himself a $10 million check for acting services rendered when he was still a struggling actor. He dated it for November, 1995, 10 years into the future, giving himself 10 years to achieve his goal, and he kept that check in his wallet so he could look at it every day. And then just before Thanksgiving in 1995, he learned he would be making $10 million for his role in Dumb and Dumber. Did you guess? Yes. It's Jim Carrey.
[00:12:12] Erin: And Carey has spoken about this experience and he explained that visualizing success and writing that check made him feel better during those tough times and helped him focus on his goals. But he also emphasized that visualization alone wasn't enough, saying you can't just visualize and then go eat a sandwich. He acknowledged that hard work was crucial to his success.
[00:12:38] Erin: And I have one more story. I think this is an amazing story.
[00:12:42] Erin: This person was born in Vienna, Austria. At five years old, she was taking apart and reassembling her music box to understand how it operated. She was recognized for her beauty at a young age and had small bits in movies. She married when she was just 19 to a powerful arms dealer who was 30 years older than she was. He sold ammunitions and manufactured military aircraft. He monitored her every move and tried to keep her isolated from the world. He forbid her to continue acting.
[00:13:18] Erin: Instead, her role was to host her husband's lavish parties attended by Hitler and Mussolini, among others, and she was often present at his business meetings. So despite her lack of formal education, she learned a lot about military technology by paying attention. So when she had had enough, in an act of courage she escaped from her husband's controlling behavior and dealings with Nazis by disguising herself as a maid and fleeing to Paris in 1937, eventually making her way to Hollywood.
[00:13:57] Erin: In America she became a major film star, but she never stopped thinking about science. As World War II raged on, she was haunted by reports of allied ships being torpedoed by the Nazis, and again, with no formal scientific training. She worked tirelessly at night studying textbooks and experimenting in her home. She teamed up with her Hollywood neighbor, this avant-garde composer George, an the who shared her passion for technology. And together they devised, they'd call it a frequency hopping system that would allow radio controlled torpedoes to switch frequencies and avoid detection or jamming by enemy forces.
[00:14:44] Erin: They filed a patent for this groundbreaking technology in 1942, and then offered it to the US Navy believing it could turn the tide of the war if they could redirect, torpedoes, or not detect them by changing the frequency. But instead of taking her idea seriously, the Navy dismissed it, telling her to stick to her Hollywood career, and they suggested she could help the war effort by selling war bonds instead, and she didn't give up.
[00:15:12] Erin: Although the Navy shelved her invention, she continued to work on other ideas and spoke openly about her frustration with being underestimated. Decades later, her invention was rediscovered and became the basis for secure military communications and eventually modern wireless technologies like Bluetooth and wifi. She received little to no recognition or financial benefit during her lifetime for the invention that would ultimately change the world.
[00:15:42] Erin: Only late in her life did she finally receive acknowledgement from the scientific community with awards and honors, recognizing her as the brilliant mind behind an invention that was decades ahead of its time. Today she celebrated not only as a Hollywood star, but also as a pioneer in technology whose work paved the way for modern communication, dubbed the mother of wifi and other wireless communications like GPS and Bluetooth. Who is this incredible inventor and actress? It's Heady Lamar.
[00:16:16] Erin: I thought that was a great story, one that's not as well known. Really imagining her, her escaping as a maid to Paris and all that, she had to go through, being underestimated because she was so beautiful, she called it her curse. People didn't take her seriously and pushing forward, having that courage, having that resilience to really lead this incredible life and to give back so much. She was a woman ahead of her time.
[00:16:44] Erin: And these stories show that the reminders that even the most successful people have faced rejection, failure, and moments of doubts. And what makes these stories powerful is that each person chose to keep going and through that resilience and courage, they ultimately achieved extraordinary success.
[00:17:10] Erin: So how does all this help you? How do these stories of setbacks and ultimate success and pushing through, how do they help you push through things in your life? After seeing my daughter's show and thinking about setbacks and success, it had me take out Seth Godin's book, the Dip Where it Teaches you when to quit. And when to stick. So we'll talk a little bit about the dip, the dead end, and the difference.
[00:17:39] Erin: So in his book, Seth talks about the dip as that tough, frustrating part of any journey where things feel nearly impossible, we're tempted to give up. But he says that the dip is often the gateway to success. What weeds out those who aren't really committed in the first place? You know, how much do you really want this? So starting something new is exciting and energizing, but inevitably you're gonna get to that point where you hit the dip. Those roadblocks start showing up and you doubt if you can do it. It's that hard part. It's scary. Things start getting in the way. It gets tough to go through.
[00:18:20] Erin: And most people drop out when the going gets tough. And if you are committed to making it through and can push through to the other side and pass those hurdles, you become so valuable. Scarcity has value. So few make it through to the other side, the select few who do stick it out if, if you want it and commit to it and are willing to push through, what will definitely be some hard or scary times, there are big rewards at the end, right? Learning from those stories we talked about, I'm sure there were many, many dips, many tough times that they had to push through to get to the other side
[00:19:01] Erin: Seth talks about this as a commitment to becoming the best in the world. But before you think that sounds impossible, remember, you get to define what the best in the world means. It's about finding your unique corner and owning it. So maybe you're a graphic designer who focuses on eco-conscious brands, or maybe you're the go-to expert for designing book covers that really stand out. Or maybe you're a yoga instructor who's known for being the best at helping athletes improve their flexibility and performance.
[00:19:37] Erin: For me, returning to my love of teaching and leadership development is about embracing my niche and preparing for the dip, knowing there are plenty of options out there, and I'm not trying to compete with Harvard or LinkedIn learning. My programs offer something different. They're action-based practical skills that push people to overcome their fears and take real steps forward. In my small, engaging programs, leaders gain collaborative skills, confidence, and practical tools, and it's about building a community of action takers where leadership isn't just a concept, it's practice daily. So I'm committed to being the best in the world at what I do. I don't have to worry about others. I'm committed to my little corner of the world.
[00:20:28] Erin: So the dip we learned is that tough part of taking on something and then making a commitment to becoming the best in the world at it. Which brings us up to the second point, the dead end.
[00:20:41] Erin: So Seth calls the dead end or the cul-de-sac when you are going round and round in circles and not getting anywhere. So if you're in this cul-de-sac or in this dead end, you need to get out. So if there's no forward progress. what do you do? So there's the difference between needing to put in more work or more time versus no amount of money or time or resources will make any difference. So for entrepreneurs, this might be working for months on a project in your garage, never showing it to a customer, only to find out that you've been building something that nobody wants. You fell in love with an idea versus creating something that really solves a problem that people need solved. So no amount of time or money is gonna change this. If you're gonna keep going round and round in circles on this cul-de-sac, you need to move on. Adding more features to something that no one wants, won't make it any better.
[00:21:41] Erin: So the key to all of this is looking for progress or movement. Are you making any forward movement? Do you have any traction? Are you getting better? Are you getting more interest? Do you just need to refine your messaging, make more calls, set up more demos?
[00:21:58] Erin: If you're in a role, maybe you're working for a company in an industry that's declining, such as print media, where digital disruption has made growth challenging. So if your company hasn't adapted to market changes, it may be difficult to advance your career there. You notice the company isn't investing in innovation or adapting to new trends, and you're not acquiring skills that will transfer to future roles, it may be a dead end. Are you putting in long hours and going above and beyond at work and not getting any recognition? No raise, no new responsibilities, no sign of advancing. Do you see a path or just more of the same? So that's that's different from just needing more experience or needing more mentoring or learning. Maybe it doesn't matter how hard you work, there are no areas for growth, this is the job, maybe this is a dead end.
[00:22:54] Erin: So if you realize that it is a dead end and more time or money or energy will not make any difference, so then what? Continuing to drive around in circles is literally not getting you anywhere. Then there is an opportunity cost of you staying on this path. It's preventing you from getting on a path that is more meaningful and valuable.
[00:23:15] Erin: Seth also introduces the idea of strategic quitting, which is about deciding upfront when you'd quit a project rather than quitting impulsively when things get hard. So instead of working hard, and then when you get to the dip decide you're gonna quit, you don't want to quit the marathon at mile 25. Deciding upfront, under what circumstances would you quit, thinking about those challenges and rewards before you start so you can make informed choices about when it's worth to push through and when it might be wiser to walk away.
[00:23:50] Erin: So here are three things to help you set up for success. So number one, at the start defining what does success look like? With specific metrics and resources you're willing to invest. So define this at the start. For example, let's say you're launching an online course, so success might mean enrolling a hundred participants in six months, and this clarity will keep you on track and help you recognize progress. You'll know your limits in terms of time and money and energy. And you can continually evaluate your progress to ensure that the effort aligns with your goals. And if new information shows a dead end, you could be ready to pivot. So you're setting your metrics in your timeline upfront.
[00:24:39] Erin: For example, I'm gonna give myself six months to get my first customer, or I'm gonna commit $10,000 to this project. And if you don't reach these, you can make a strategic decision to pivot or quit, rather than making an emotional reaction when things get tough. And then this isn't giving up out of frustration. It's making a choice based on clear goals.
[00:25:02] Erin: And number two is what challenges do I expect? What does the dip look like, and am I ready to face these? So anticipate the dip, those difficult phases, when your motivation slips, and being prepared for those initial struggles, like low enrollment or traction on your product. It helps you stay committed rather than giving up prematurely.
[00:25:26] Erin: And number three, can you be the best in the world in this niche? Focus on areas where you can excel rather than competing broadly. So if you are a yoga instructor, you could consider specializing, maybe prenatal yoga if you have a unique strength there.
[00:25:44] Erin: So those three keys to set up for success. Number one, what does success look like? Set those metrics. Two, what challenges do you expect and are you ready to face those? And three, can you be the best in this niche? These help you commit to projects with true potential while giving yourself permission to step away from dead ends. It's about resilience, focus, and using your resources wisely.
[00:26:14] Erin: If you're coming off a recent setback, remember that it doesn't define you. It's one chapter, not the entire book, or maybe you're considering a fresh start. The dip reminds us that big goals come with rough patches. The key is to be prepared for them and to know why you're doing it. In a reminder that the story doesn't end with the setback. It's what you do afterward that truly defines it. What's one thing in your life that deserves one more try? We've put together a top 10 list to help you on your journey. These will be in the action steps on our website. Here's top 10 things to help you on this journey and get past those setbacks.
[00:26:57] Erin: Number one, ask yourself, why do I want this? Get clear on your motivation. Knowing your why helps you stay focused through those tough times. Number two, hell yeah, or hell no? If you're not a hundred percent excited about this, it may not be worth your energy. Go for What lights you up when you're thinking about this, is it a hell yeah? And if not, maybe you need to rethink before you get started.
[00:27:24] Erin: Number three, what would you do if you couldn't fail or if you weren't afraid? Visualizing success without limits. Imagine these possibilities. If fear weren't a factor, what would you do? Number four, what's one step you could take? A single action can make the entire journey feel much more attainable. You don't have to have it all figured out right now. It's okay to take things one step at a time. You don't need the entire plan figured out to make progress.
[00:27:55] Erin: Number five, three seconds of courage. When you have these steps, you need to take. Sometimes it just takes three seconds to make that little step like my daughter deciding to audition again, send that email. I wanna sign up for an audition. Sometimes all it takes is a few seconds of bravery to decide to get back in the game. Number six, a year from now, where do you wanna be? Imagine it's a year from now, do you want to stay in the exact same spot you've been in? Maybe you've been thinking about this for a long time. Imagine the progress you could make if you started today. Imagine where you could be a year from now. Where do you wanna be?
[00:28:38] Erin: Number seven, is this a dip or a dead end? Is this challenge something you can overcome or is it a signal to consider a new path? This is a critical step in knowing where to focus your energy. Do you need to pivot? Do you need to persevere? Do you need to push through or do you need to try something new? Number eight, what's the worst thing that could happen and can you handle it? Often we realize the worst outcome isn't as bad as it seems, making it easier to face these challenges.
[00:29:10] Erin: Number nine, from Shawshank. Get busy living or get busy dying. You can choose to keep moving or to let the challenge stop you. Choosing to push forward is choosing to live fully, even in the hard moments. And number 10, why not? When doubt creeps in, remind yourself, why not go for it? Why not see what's possible? We'll put these top 10 on the website at theinspirelounge.co. And help you with these reminders to help continue to push you forward.
[00:29:45] Erin: So this is about you. How can we help you decide when to stick with it and when to quit? So first I wanna ask you, are you in the dip? Is it just the hard part? Or are you in the dead end? Is it the cul-de-sac? You're going around and around and time is not going to make things better? Working harder is not going to make things better. Trying a little more is not gonna help you. You are just going round and around and not moving forward. Are you in the dip or are you in the dead end?
[00:30:17] Erin: Lesson two is, are you willing to commit to being the best in the world at something? Will you work hard to get that promotion, to get that new product out the door, to take that new audition? Are you willing to commit to that? Do you want it? If not, then it's better to quit strategically, it's better to quit beforehand. If you know that when it gets hard, you're gonna bail, why waste that time if it's not something you truly want to invest your time in? Because then it's, it's just taking resources away from something you really do wanna invest in. What would you like to really work on?
[00:30:54] Erin: If you're gonna quit, quit before you start versus in the middle of when it gets hard, you've wasted all that time and now you're quitting? So knowing upfront that you want to do it, it reminds me, I, when people know I've written a book, I often will hear I've always wanted to write a book, or I have an idea for a book and I put it in a drawer. Or I'd love to write a book. Do they really wanna write a book? It's hard. It's getting up early. It's messy. It's, it takes a long time. Writing a book is hard. It's getting through that dip when you don't think you can do it and it's, and you're ready to give up, but you keep plowing through.
[00:31:31] Erin: Understanding upfront why you wanna do something, and then knowing it's going to get hard and pushing through is the secret sauce. So many people give up, right? So many people quit the piano when they're seven and wish, oh boy, I wish I could play right. They, they quit at the dip.
[00:31:48] Erin: And it's not to say that things don't get hard. It's okay to feel disappointed, to feel bad when you flub the audition to be embarrassed, to dust yourself off. What are the lessons learned? What can I take away from this experience? What can I improve for the next time? Is there one small step forward you can try? Go to that local audition. Don't tell anyone. You could just go and try, right? And acknowledge and reward these small wins, even if it's just showing up after a failure, that's a win.
[00:32:17] Erin: After a setback, it can feel impossible to get back up. Just taking one small step, reflect on what you learned, take a small action to rebuild that confidence, keep moving forward. Do you have that book in a drawer? Do you have that promotion you wanna go for? Is there something you would really love to do? Imagine that once the excitement of this project wears off and you're in the middle of the hard work, is it worth it? Is it something you're willing to apply yourself for?
[00:32:49] Erin: if you had only seen my daughter's face, that's forever plastered in my mind. Seeing her at the standing ovation, taking the bow, big smile on her face, friends and family in the audience, hooting and hollering, one of life's great moments. Starting freshman year in high school and then she was in the play after getting out of college, right? It was this a long dip, a long process to get to that finish line, with setbacks with tough times, scary, embarrassing. Pushing yourself to get to that other side, to get through that dip.
[00:33:27] Erin: Now, what are you going to do? You've heard these stories about trying, about resilience, about pivoting, persevering, or trying something else. Strategic quitting. So now what are you gonna do? Wanna keep the momentum going? Join the Inspire Lounge community at theinspirelounge.co, where we turn inspiration into action. You'll find actionable steps from every episode, interactive challenges and connect with a supportive group of people all taking their next bold step just like you. Don't just listen. Take action with us and be part of something bigger. Remember, action quiets fear. It's your move. What are you gonna do?
[00:34:09] Erin: As World War As World as World War II raged on Rediscovered and became the, so let's start that again.
[00:34:26]
[00:34:26] Erin: and you can regularly, Hmm, regularly. You can regularly, that is a hard word. You can consistently, You can consistently, you can continually evaluate your progress