Q: Denise, I have just had three clients reject me in the last week. I am devastated! What am I doing wrong?
A: First ask yourself if you really did anything wrong, rather than assuming it is all about you personally. Did you follow-up on a regular basis? Did you provide your expertise in a timely manner? If you were to do it all again, would you alter your behavior? If you did everything that you could have done, then why are you assuming you are to blame?
Imagine observing an emergency room at a hospital with an emergency surgeon on duty. The first patient comes in with a major, life-threatening injury. And even though the surgeon does everything in his power, the patient passes away. The second patient also has a life-threatening injury and dies on the operating table. Same with a third patient. Although the surgeon has done everything in his power to save all three, none of them made it. Is that the fault of the surgeon or did circumstances outside the surgeon’s control make their deaths unavoidable?
This may sound harsh, but if you have truly done everything in your power for your clients then you need to let it go. Focus on taking action that allows you to make connections with others and get some positive energy going!