How To Bounce Back After a Flop

The recent boo-boo I experienced for the launch of my online radio show was a good reminder to value humility-building experiences.

Minutes into the program, the previous day's beautifully working dashboard of the online radio program locked up. Later, I suspected the bubble screensaver my kids had loaded on the computer plus unwanted popups caused the glitch. I regretted procrastinating having the computer people remove the malware fueling the uninvited cyber- advertisements, blocking me from viewing the broadcast clock.

Recovering the dashboard while conducting the show weren't a winning combination. I accidentally logged out only to have the site come up again along with the intro music in the middle of the show.

The prompt telling me only 2 minutes remained led to pure panic.

The show was supposed to be 30 minutes, not 15. In the remaining 120 seconds I crammed 15 minutes of my planned content, necessary for my previous comments to make sense.

Putting the microphone down, I let out a massive sigh.

The show was definitely a flop!

I prayed few people heard the broadcast. I immediately scurried to have my assistant replace the horrific live show with the imperfect (but looking better all the time) test broadcast previously done.

***

Occasional flops accompany the successful entrepreneur lifestyle. Don't let these mishaps slow you and your business down.

Here are 4 ways to bounce back from a flop:

1. Understand that success requires out-of-comfort-zone action. - Without flops, you are playing it too safe. Successful mom biz owners engage in activities beyond their current knowledge. Don't be afraid of a learning curve and the blunders that may accompany it.

2. Step out of your comfort zone, but not into the ozone. - An early mentor coached me to pursue radio and TV appearances. The strategy never resonated well, but I didn't realize why until recently. The necessary flexibility of interviews on demand did not jive with my mom biz lifestyle. Being new and inexperienced in my business left me nervous and inarticulate, unlike I would have been with multiple client testimonials to tell. Make sure your strategies stretch you a step or two beyond your current position, not light years ahead.

3. Master the art of taking imperfect action. - I could have practiced the Blog Talk Radio Show 10 times prior, perfecting it and overcoming all technological nuances, but I would have done nothing else. Mompreneurs must learn what is "good enough" and move on. Perfectionists paralyze themselves and don't achieve desired results.

4. Laugh at yourself. - Earlier the radio show incident would have horrified me. But I was able to see the humor of it right away. A healthy spirituality fuels being able to laugh at yourself. With self-acceptance and trust in God and his plan for your life, temporary failures don't set you back. The irony feels like playful messages from above to loosen up, with a gentle reminder of who really is in control.You can't be successful without calculated risks and rolling with the fallout. Celebrate and learn from your next flop, so you can bounce back into life and biz prosperity.

Catholic Mompreneurs life and biz tip: Analyze your last flop with humor and confidence to see what message God might be sending you.