In my world of recruiting, sales, parenting, tennis, and living in general, I deal with defeat regularly. This includes my defeats and those of others. As you can imagine, I’ve had many conversations with professionals who have lost their jobs and employers who have lost valued members of their teams. These interactions are opportunities to help someone see past the pain and look toward the next opportunity.
There are a few people I think of when these circumstances occur. Of course, there are a handful of people who come to mind—Oprah Winfrey, Christopher Columbus, and Abraham Lincoln, to name a few.
Oprah Winfrey: This woman started off her life in what many would consider a “no-win situation.” She evolved through adversity into the woman we know today.
Christopher Columbus: He fell short of his goal to circumnavigate the Earth. Most of us only remember that he bumped into North America instead.
Abraham Lincoln: Our 16th President is arguably considered by many to be the best President in United States history. And, by the way, I’m related to Lincoln, connecting back to the United Kingdom before his/our ancestors made the voyage to America.
Lincoln faced many obstacles on his journey to the presidency in 1860:
Lincoln Hurdles
1832: Lost his job as a storekeeper
1832: Defeated in his first attempt for election to the Illinois state legislature
1833: His general store partnership failed, though he spent years paying off the debts
1835: His sweetheart, Ann Rutledge, died, leading to a period of deep depression (sometimes referred to as a nervous breakdown)
1838: Lost his bid to become Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives
1843: Failed to secure the nomination for Congress
1848: Lost re-election to Congress
1849: While some sources say he was rejected for a land officer position, others suggest he declined the offer
1854: Defeated in his first attempt for a U.S. Senate seat
1856: There’s debate on whether Lincoln actively sought the Vice Presidential nomination. Some sources suggest he wasn’t interested, while others claim he was passed over
1858: Lost his second attempt for a U.S. Senate seat (though this famous campaign against Stephen Douglas helped propel him to national prominence)
Lincoln Milestones
1834: Despite the earlier setback, Lincoln was elected to the Illinois state legislature, beginning his political career
1846: Won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives
1860: Despite facing numerous defeats, Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th President of the United States
This guy got his tail kicked over and over, year after year, and never gave up! Imagine how different our history and present might be if he did.
The message is simple here. Keep on keeping on. Know your direction, even if you don’t have a specific destination planned yet. Take steps in that direction. Adjust your tactics along the way. You will not have all the answers, and perhaps will not even know the questions.
Set sail like Columbus. Go! Create yourself like Oprah. Learn from defeat like Lincoln. Don’t give up. You may end up like Columbus failing your original goal and bumping into your “America” along the way.
How will history remember you?
Carpe Diem. 
