The 570-Mile Lesson in Mistakes

Did you know that a 3-degree difference on a flight from San Francisco to Rome would land you in the Czech Republic?

That’s roughly 570 miles off course.

I bring this up because I’m fortunate to have a front-row seat to hundreds of coaching businesses each year—many of which, unfortunately, end up far from their desired destinations.

The standout businesses, the ones that consistently land where they intend, share one defining characteristic: They accept course correction.

Struggling businesses often see failure as something to avoid at all costs.  They believe that with enough preparation, they can steer clear of mistakes altogether. They educate themselves on the impossible task of attempting to eliminate errors entirely.

Successful businesses take a different approach. They expect failure. They recognize it as a natural part of growth and use it as a chance to learn, adapt, and adjust their course. Their education focus isn’t on avoidance but on recovery.

No business will ever be mistake-free. The true measure of success lies in how quickly and effectively you can pivot, adjust, and get back on track when errors happen.

Happy navigating.