Minute SHIFTS That Matter #16

Minute SHIFTS That Matter #16

Why Your Results Keep Swinging

A deal I thought was locked fell apart last week.

Not dramatic. Just an email that said they were going another direction.

And I felt it immediately — that gut drop.

First thought wasn't about the deal.

It was "What did I miss?"

Then it spiraled.

Was my pitch off? Did I sound desperate? Should I have followed up differently?

And the urge to fix it kicked in hard.

Push harder. Tighten everything. Do more.

That used to be my move. Miss something, spike effort.

But this time I caught it.

I asked myself a different question:

What would the version of me who's already good at this do right now?

Not the guy scrambling to prove he can close deals.

The guy who's been through this fifty times and knows it's just part of the game.

That version doesn't spiral.

He looks at what broke. Adjusts. Moves.

No drama. No internal fight.

And here's what I noticed —

When I operate from the version of me who hasn't figured it out yet, everything feels shaky.

Wins feel lucky. Losses feel like proof.

But when I operate from the version who already gets it...

Same actions. Different posture.

I'm not trying to prove anything.

I'm just closing distance.

Most days I don't wake up motivated.

I wake up and do what that version would do.

Make the call. Send the follow-up. Adjust the offer.

It's not flashy.

But it's steady.

And steady is what stops the swings.

So if you're in the middle of something right now and you feel that gut drop or that voice asking "What's wrong with me?" —

Pause.

Shift seats.

Ask: What would the version of me who's already good at this do next?

Then do that.

If this hits… here's something deeper

I created a chart that unpacks the identity mechanics most people never see.

Watch the video and grab the chart here: https://billfoss.com/briefing

Best,

Bill