Oops I did it again …..

by Sunil Bali, 04-12-16

One of the agenda items at Sarah Blakely’s team meetings is: Oops I did it again.

It’s something she learned from her father, who would ask Sarah and her brother every week what they had failed at, when they were kids.

If Blakely announced that she’d tried out for something and bombed, her father would actually high five her and say, "Congratulations! Way to go!"

“My dad helped me to reframe my definition of failure and make me more resilient,” says Blakely. “Failure for me became not trying and not learning, rather than just a result."

Blakely started her company with $5000 and became the youngest self-made female billionaire in history. She grew her bottom line by quite literally removing her customer’s bottom line. You see, Blakely gave the world Spanx: the world’s first invisible pants.

When it comes to her employees, Blakely says it’s important for them to take risks and approach their failures from a constructive perspective.

As Blakely is fond saying, "Take a chance. The electric light bulb didn’t come from the continuous improvement of candles."

Humour

I was delighted when the Tax Authorities wrote to me and said that my tax return was "outstanding," particularly as I don’t even remember sending it in.

Times have been tough lately. My husband ran off with the woman next door. I really do miss her.
I lost a good friend and drinking partner at the weekend ….. she got her finger caught in a wedding ring.

Ps. And talking of friends, my very good friend, fellow speaker and performance guru Craig Goldblatt, is delivering one of his fabulous Inspired seminars in January: http://bit.ly/Inspired26Jan17. I’ll be there, so do come and say hi if you can make it.

Live big & love deep.

Sunil