The Art of Messing Up and Moving On.

Mistakes happen. The real magic? What you do next.

Let me tell you about the moment my daughter “pickled”…

Last week at my daughter’s softball game, I got a front row seat to a real-time masterclass in panic, persistence, and pivoting like a pro.

It started with a misread. The coach yelled “Run!” but it was meant for the batter, not my daughter. But she took off toward home anyway. You could almost hear the collective gasp from the stands.

Now, if you’re not familiar with softball lingo (join the club), “pickled” is when a base runner gets caught in a throw-off between two fielders, in this case, the catcher and third baseman both of whom clearly had a personal vendetta against my kid.

They were gunning for her, especially since she had already stolen home twice earlier in the game. She was public enemy #1 behind home plate. So there she was, caught in the middle.

She turned back once… Then again… Dodged, juked, and finally SLID across home plate on her knees like some kind of 13-year-old, dirt-covered, Michael Jackson stunt double. 

She. Was. SAFE.

And I, of course, didn’t get a single second of it on video. But her brown-stained pants still tell the tale .

(thank goodness for Oxyclean!)

What does this have to do with business?

Everything.

My daughter made a mistake. She misread the play. She ran when she wasn’t supposed to. Sound familiar?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve “taken off for home” in my business based on the wrong cue. Built something too soon. Said yes when I should’ve paused. Followed the wrong lead. Pivoted too early or waited too long.

Just one year ago, I was still offering packages based on an hourly rate trying to transition to high-ticket retainer services only to finally achieve that and then, just 3 months later, realize that wasn’t the right business model for my personal life and needed to pivot again, this time toward my group program.

I could’ve stayed stuck in the pickle, trying to defend the “money-making model” I had worked so hard to build or overthink every possible move.

Instead, I turned, slid, and scored. Not because I had it all figured out. But because I was willing to change direction fast when I realized something wasn’t working.

That’s the part we don’t talk about enough as entrepreneurs: We’re going to screw up. We’re going to misread the play. And we are definitely going to get pickled.

But that doesn’t have to be our doom. What matters is whether we freeze…or whether we slide.

So here’s the truth:

Making a mistake doesn’t mean you’re done.It means you’re human.  Welcome to the club.

The question is: Are you going to let it keep you stuck in the pickle, or are you going to pivot and sprint anyway?

Here’s how to recover fast:

1. Stop wasting energy on the wrong emotion.

Shame, guilt, embarrassment – none of those emotions help you fix the mistake. They just anchor you to it. Instead, switch to curiosity. 

Ask yourself: “What can I learn from this? What needs to change?”

Action always beats self-pity.

2. Make a “micro-pivot” plan.

Not every correction requires a massive overhaul. 

Ask:“Do I need to reposition my service to better fit the right audience?”

Sometimes, it’s just a small shift in strategy, timing, or messaging that makes the difference. 

3. Reverse-engineer what didn’t work.

Instead of guessing, break down what led to the mistake.

Was it a lack of data? Poor communication? Moving too fast? 

This isn’t about blame, it’s about clarity. Mistakes are feedback. Use them.

4. Make ONE bold decision to move forward.

The longer you wait, the heavier it gets. Choose one action:

• Send the email.
• Make the price change.
• Pause the broken system.
• Launch the beta.

Speed beats perfection.

5. Own the lesson publicly if you want bonus points.

There’s real power in sharing your “pickle” moment. It builds trust, relatability, and thought leadership. Your audience doesn’t need you to be perfect. They need you to be real and resilient.

And a little “reframing of the failure” never hurts. 😉

Your Challenge this Week:​

Reflect on a past mistake you might still be beating yourself up about. Then pick one of two paths:

1. What GOOD came from it? (What lesson, what decision, what pivot?)

2. Or… if you’re still living with the consequences, what shift can you make today to start changing that outcome?)

Need help sorting it out? Try this ChatGPT prompt:

“Act as a mindset and business clarity coach. Help me reflect on a mistake I made in my business that I’m still holding onto. Guide me to either: (1) Identify a good decision that resulted from it, or (2) Create a new plan to pivot in a better direction.”

Don’t just reflect. Process and pivot. Because even if you’ve “pickled,” that doesn’t mean you’re out!

 Forward this to a business bestie who needs to hear this. You never know who’s one pivot away from scoring their biggest win yet.