Restaurant budgets have a line item called “spoilage” or “wastage” to track food that’s gone bad or is unusable. Sometimes it includes breakage of glasses, stolen cutlery and those kinds of things. Restaurant owner says, Loss happens, so expect it and work it into the budget. That’s reality-based and level-headed. And it keeps you cooking.
When we’re building a menu of services or product offerings, we rarely budget for loss. We’re so determined (read: in sweet denial), that every vendor relationship will be smooth, that everyone we hire will deliver, that the new technology we buy is going to move us forward. But, that’s not so…reality-based. Or level-headed.
So when our plan is spoiled, instead of rolling with the losses, we might try to turn a mess into a feast. Which never works. Like…you invest in a graphic designer and they’re just not delivering branding visuals that you’re in love with. But you’ve already paid them a bunch of money and if you walk away, you don’t get any of it back. So you settle on a home page that’s just okay. You go to print with something that feels just alright.
There are plenty of times to fight for value and stick with the creative process until you tap the gold vein. But most often, the worst thing to do is to move ahead with something that you don’t like for the sole reason that you spent money on it.
Money loss can be brutal. I’ve spent years digging myself out of some sideways business debt. I’ve thought about making voodoo dolls of some bamboozlers I signed bad contracts with. But I never look at lost or wasted money as a waste.
A) I learned. A LOT. And in my case, it was way cheaper than the actual cost of an MBA. And our entire team learns about our strengths, our integrity, and we get clearer on our standards, expectations and intentions.
B) Loss happens. It’s THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS. And life.
Every time we “lose” we come out so much stronger and clearer. @DanielleLaPorte (Click to Tweet!)
People will waste your money and your time. YOU will waste your money and your time. And in the process, you’ll make some art. Maybe even some masterpieces. Focus on the art and not so much on the loss. The money is gone, your creation will be so much better, and your ideal and prosperous future will be that much closer.
Love,
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Danielle LaPorte is an invited member of Oprah’s SuperSoul 100, a group who, in Oprah Winfrey’s words, “is uniquely connecting the world together with a spiritual energy that matters.” She is author of White Hot Truth: Clarity for keeping it real on your spiritual path—from one seeker to another. The Fire Starter Sessions, and The Desire Map: A Guide To Creating Goals With Soul—the book that has been translated into 8 languages, evolved into a yearly day planner system, a top 10 iTunes app, and an international workshop program with licensed facilitators in 15 countries.
Named one of the “Top 100 Websites for Women” by Forbes, millions of visitors go to DanielleLaPorte.com every month for her daily #Truthbombs and what’s been called “the best place online for kickass spirituality.” A speaker, a poet, a painter, and a former business strategist and Washington-DC think tank exec, Entrepreneur Magazine calls Danielle, “equal parts poet and entrepreneurial badass…edgy, contrarian…loving and inspired.” Her charities of choice are Eve Ensler’s VDay: a global movement to end violence against women and girls, and charity: water, setting out to bring safe drinking water to everyone in the world. She lives in Vancouver, BC with her favourite philosopher, her son. You can find her @daniellelaporte and just about everywhere on social media.
