This is CEO member Brody Thomas. We have just completed the book Things You Wish You Knew Yesterday, written by the architect of the CEO program, Craig Lindahl. My favorite chapter in this book is titled “Perseverance is Overrated.” I related to this chapter because it completely changed the way I look at failure. Most people think success comes from pushing through failure over and over again, but this chapter explains that true success comes from expecting failure as part of the process. The example of Thomas Edison stood out to me the most. He didn’t see his attempts as failures; he expected them. His goal was to test every possible solution until something worked, which made each attempt a step forward instead of a setback. This mindset connects a lot to my experience running my custom bat business. Not every design, sale, or idea worked out the way I planned, but instead of getting discouraged, I’ve learned to treat those moments as learning opportunities. This chapter taught me to focus more on growth and less on perfection. When you remove the fear of being wrong, you become more creative, more confident, and more willing to take risks. That’s what leads to real success.
