Failure was an option. Now it isn’t?

There was a time in my life where I wanted to cry.. I take that back. There were multiple times in my life that I wanted to cry. What helped me persevere through the shit was that I HAD strong vision. It could only take me so high before everything I built collapsed underneath me. I did this with several businesses, hit six figures within the year and then collapsed with nothing to show for it. I finally reached out to my old friend from college who was a systems engineer. He told me something that still shakes me to this very day.
“Derek.. The reason you failed is because you only followed steps, you didn’t have a system.”

I argued back that I had not only mentors in various business ventures that helped but also followed courses. I showed him the road maps.

“Derek.. Those are processes not systems. Where on that map does it show you what to do if you fail on a step? Does it loop back?”

BAM. It hit me. I realized my beliefs that there was only one path and that was the path forward. I constantly aim to break through all walls and force my way through but it always hits a point where the wall is too high or I hit a trench too deep. What my friend showed me was there wasn’t one path. Instead, you need to look at it as a circle. Instead of going from Point A to Point B. Just continue to make small improvements and never leave point A. You can only grow or pivot, but never fall unless you stop using systems. Once I begin to follow the principles he taught me as an engineer and apply it to the psychology of both consumers and employees.. It created a systematic shift for myself. Lean and sustainable vs ego and spending mentality. I went at it the wrong way and now I will go at it the right way plus document the journey.. share all the strategies.. and create a new community of Pivoteers. Let’s pivot for change and look back on our failures as small stepping stones out of the dark age of spend mentality.

Some already apparent benefits: “I think” to “I Know” in my discussing performance I can physically point to problems occurring on a map I no longer have countless meetings weekly but 1 or 2 a month! I have true visibility on marketing, sales, and operations. Onboarding time for new employees or Virtual assistants dramatically reduced. Higher quality delivery of products and quicker production of new features. My personal life and relationships and taken a positive turn I got about 10-15 hours back each week from removing inefficient work. I focus less on end goals and more on the critical path. Reducing stress and removing disappointment or short term happiness. I am more aware of potential business partnerships or strategic alliances People listen to what I have to say as I have more confidence I no longer am wishy washy or indecisive My family sees a lot more of me My friends no longer get annoyed with my business rants.. because I no longer rant about work MY language changed from “grind culture” to “innovate culture”

Thank you Aaron!

• Derek Hurtado