Kev is flat on his back, staring at the sky. Am I resting, or did I just fall? His enemies can’t tell either. Here’s how to bounce back after failure while you keep those clown biscuits guessing.
field guide
clown biscuits
(noun, plural)
The doubters waiting to see if you stay down. Keep them guessing.
Why failure knocks the wind out of you
Failure hurts twice: once when it happens, and again when you picture everyone watching. The second part is usually worse, and it’s mostly made up. Most people are busy with their own falls. Getting back up is less about a comeback speech and more about quietly standing up again.
What would a stoic do?
When force of circumstance upsets your equanimity, lose no time in recovering your self-control.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 6.11
Marcus didn’t say never fall. He said recover quickly. Composure is a skill: you get to decide what the fall looks like on the way up.
Try this: 3 steps back to vertical
- Take a horizontal minute. Rest is allowed; just put a timer on it.
- Pick the next small move. Not the comeback. Only the next step.
- Keep the stumble to yourself, if you like. You don’t owe anyone a play-by-play. Let the results talk.
Send this to whoever’s having a horizontal week. meow meow, kev
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