Back in 2014, I set a personal goal to earn a Black Belt in Taekwondo. What started as a challenge to learn a new skill has become a decade-long journey filled with lessons, setbacks, and growth. 🥋 Achieving significant goals in life often requires more than just effort—it takes time, perseverance, unwavering commitment, and the emotional fuel to keep believing that you can do it, even when the going gets tough.

Yesterday marked a major milestone in my journey. At Rahn’s Black Belt Academy (shoutout to Shane Rahn), I tested for and was presented with the last belt I needed before black. Normally, the belt arrives weeks after testing. But in my case, it was different. This time, the belt had been patiently waiting for me—because I had failed my previous test.

Failure: The Unwelcome Companion

Failure is a part of the process, but let’s be honest—it doesn’t feel good. I don’t like to fail. It makes me mad. Not just frustrated—angry, defeated, and sometimes even ready to give up. It’s embarrassing. It’s humbling. And let me tell you, failing in front of a room full of peers (including some 10-year-olds who have already sailed past me in this process) doesn’t exactly boost the ego.

But failure doesn’t have to define the journey. Instead, it can become a turning point.

Turning Determination into Action

This time, I came into the test with a different mindset. I was (almost) 100% sure I would break my boards. I had worked hard to prepare and refined my approach down to a system. I carefully chose my board holders, set up my boards just right, and gave it everything I had. I executed just as I had practiced, following my “board-breaking system” to the letter.

When those boards finally broke, it wasn’t just the wood that shattered—it was the lingering self-doubt, the fear of failure, and the frustration of feeling stuck. I had proven to myself that I could overcome.

Lessons That Carry Over

This morning, I went back to work on building a sales system. As I did, it struck me how the same principles apply to business as they do to martial arts. Failure is part of the process. I don’t like it. It makes me mad. But it also fuels my determination to try again, to approach challenges with a clearer plan, and to keep moving forward.

Whether you’re working on a marketing system, a hiring system, or even building a leadership mindset, the process remains the same. Keep your goal crystal clear. Stay absolutely resolute that you will get there, no matter how many times you have to try, adjust, and try again.

The Road to Success

Here’s the thing: success rarely follows a straight path. It might take longer than you thought. You’ll likely need to change your approach, experiment with new methods, and put in more effort than you ever anticipated. And yes, it’s frustrating. Sometimes maddening. But if you’re willing to show up, do the work, and stay focused on your goal, you will get there—one carefully crafted system at a time.

Every failure is just another step on the way to your success.

You’ve got this.

— Beverlee