Every Outcome is the Platform for My Future Success

Jackie Zach
July 22, 2024

In this episode of the Tough Love for Business podcast, hosts Jackie Zach and Mike McKay discuss how shifting your mindset can turn setbacks into stepping stones for future success. Jackie reflects on Bruce Wilson’s insightful notion that “Every outcome is the platform for my future success,” which emphasizes viewing every experience—whether positive or negative—as a crucial part of personal and professional growth. This perspective encourages listeners to seek lessons from each outcome rather than dwelling on failures.

Mike adds that instead of blaming oneself when things don’t go as planned, it’s more productive to ask, “In what way am I not yet ready for that result?” He likens life to climbing Mount Everest, where each stage of acclimatization prepares you for the next level. Embracing this mindset helps you see life’s challenges as preparations rather than hindrances. By focusing on learning and adapting, you can progress more quickly towards your goals, understanding that success often follows a non-linear path marked by valuable lessons and growth.

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Podcast Transcript

Jackie Zach: Welcome to the Tough Love for Business podcast. I’m your host, Jackie Zach, and I’m here with my co-host, Mike McKay. Last week, we had some big learnings talking about mindset and breaking free from limiting beliefs. When you do that, the sky’s the limit.

One of the things Bruce Wilson, an ActionCOACH who focuses on quality mind, said that stuck with me is: “Every outcome is the platform for my future success.” This really resonated with me, especially considering my recent experiences. It means that every outcome, whether expected or not, is a stepping stone for future success. This perspective helps me reflect on what I can learn from each situation, whether it went well or not, and how it contributes to who I am becoming.

Mike McKay: There’s a key question he asked: When something doesn’t go as planned, ask yourself, “In what way am I not yet ready for that result?” This shifts the focus from blaming yourself to understanding what you need to learn or develop. It’s not about fault but readiness. How can you change your readiness to achieve your goals?

Consider climbing Mount Everest. You can’t go straight to the top; you have to acclimatize at base camps, going back and forth to prepare. Similarly, in life, there are no direct paths to your goals. If we don’t reach a goal, we often call ourselves failures. But there’s no straight path to success without some delays or challenges.

The idea that “life’s a journey, not a destination” holds true. Life ensures you learn necessary lessons before achieving your goals. We say life happens for us, not to us. So, if something goes wrong, instead of thinking it shouldn’t happen, ask, “In what way am I not ready?” Embrace the mindset that life’s challenges are preparing you, not hindering you.

Jackie: Versus feeling that you should or have to.

Mike: Exactly. People often “should” all over themselves. Beliefs are just something we hold to be true. Our core fear is that if we discover who we really are, we might find out we’re worthless. But if you believe in the universe, then you must believe that the universe doesn’t make mistakes. Just by existing, you’re valuable and perfect.

Someone might have made you believe you’re worthless, but that’s their belief, not yours. If you find yourself in a place you don’t want to be, you have a choice: Label it as a failure, or see it as a sign you’re not yet ready and need to learn more.

Jackie: Right. When Bruce said that, it shifted my perspective from “This shouldn’t be happening to me” to “What’s the lesson here?” That change in mindset was freeing.

Mike: Absolutely. Consider how long it takes to reach a goal if every setback makes you dwell on, “Why is this happening to me?” Instead, if you focus on learning the lesson quickly, you can progress faster. Imagine climbing Everest and every lesson takes weeks to learn. If you can learn lessons more quickly, you can cover more ground in less time. The leverage of time, education, and effort is immense when you adopt a mindset that life is happening for you.

Jackie: And it changes in an instant.

Mike: Yes, you just need to decide and commit to it. Practice it, and it can happen as quickly as snapping your fingers.

Jackie: Part of this involves taking time to reflect. When something happens, ask, “What’s the lesson?” and “In what way was I not ready?” This requires thoughtful consideration without judgment.

Mike: You’re welcome to judge life, but life’s going to win. Life is like math; it doesn’t care about your feelings. It’s showing you the path to success, cleverly disguised as challenges.

Jackie: Right. When you look back on a successful journey, it likely wasn’t straight. Along the way, you might have felt like a failure, but those experiences were essential for learning and growth.

Mike: Success and growth lie on the other side of challenge, not success. If you knew everything, you wouldn’t need life’s lessons. Napoleon Hill said, “When riches begin to come they come so quickly, in such great abundance, that one wonders where they have been hiding during all those lean years.” They’re hiding behind beliefs or lessons you need to learn.

Jackie: Exactly. The key is to view outcomes as learning opportunities and to ask yourself, “In what way was I not ready? What do I need to do to get ready?”

Mike: And each outcome builds the foundation for your next steps and successes.

Jackie: Absolutely. Until next time, have a great day.