Embrace failure as a growth opportunity
The Bear. S2, E7. Forks. 34 minutes of inspirational TV up there with Tony Soprano's existential crisis prompted by ducks in his pool.
As we approach the Holiday Season in the United States, I reguarly think of the people I know who found themselves without a job this year.
Each one of them through no fault of their own.
As difficult as a layoff can be, it also affords an opportunity to reflect and reassess what's important in your life. It usually isn't 80 hour work weeks ... guilty as charged.
So, if you're in this situation here's some inspiration for you from FX's The Bear. Season 2, Episode 7. Forks. 34 minutes of TV up there with Tony Soprano's existential crisis prompted by ducks in his pool.
Forks opens with a clip from a Bloomberg interview between David Rubenstein and Coach K. It's about personal responsibility, reflection, change, and surrounding ourselves with great people.
As challenging as a layoff can be, you're now fully in control of your destiny. You're also not alone. As Coach says, "you're not gonna get there alone. Be on a team."
Happy Holidays!
Rubenstein: As you've been coaching over the years, what would you say are the most important lessons of leadership that you've learned?
Coach K: The very first thing is that in order to get better you change limits. And when you change limits, you're gonna look bad and you're gonna fail.
At West Point, I learned that failure was never a destination. In other words, when you are knocked back, figure out why and then change.
The other thing is that you're not gonna get there alone. Be on a team.
Surround yourself with good people and learn how to listen. You're not gonna learn with you just talking. And when you do talk, converse. Don't make excuses. Figure out the solution. You don't have to figure it out yourself ...
I always wanted to be a part of a team and obviously I wanted to lead that team. What an interesting life it is to be a leader. That's something.
Here's the full interview with Coach K on Bloomberg's The David Rubenstein Show. It's a classic.
BONUS #1. More inspiration from Coach:
“When a leader takes responsibility for his own actions and mistakes, he not only sets a good example, he shows a healthy respect for people on his team.”
“You develop a team to achieve what one person cannot accomplish alone. All of us alone are weaker, by far, than if all of us are together.”
“There are five fundamental qualities that make every team great: communication, trust, collective responsibility, caring, and pride. I like to think of each as a separate finger on the fist. Any one individually is important. But all of them together are unbeatable.”
“Discipline is doing what you are supposed to do, in the best possible manner, at the time you are supposed to do it.”
BONUS #2. Fun clips from Forks:
Heads up, the next clip contains some "kitchen language" #nsfw
Richie's season 2 journey culminates in the final episode with him as expo at The Bear. "Okay, Richie? Drive!"