How to Get Out of Your Own Way!
Change your mindset, change your outcome.
Note: this article comes with a free worksheet!
Many years ago, I was speaking at a Rural Banking Managers’ Conference.
Things were going smoothly. Too smoothly, in fact.
Sporting analogies were flying: teamwork, game plans, high-performing teams. All the classics.
Then a senior executive (a.k.a. heckler) cut in:
“That’s all well and good, Bill, but sporting teams train all week to play 60 to 120 minutes. We don’t have that luxury. We’re always working—with no time to practice.”
He had a point, for which I had no response.
There was an awkward pause … longer than I liked, and I don’t mind pregnant pauses!
The audience of 60 or 70 stared at me to see how I’d respond. I looked down at my feet. (Because apparently my feet had an answer for everything.)
Then, not an answer, but a question to the group.
“Would you like to practice more?”
A room full of nods.
“Sooo, how do you propose to make that happen?”
Only one nod this time. From the Exec, but a nod of recognition.
There was work to be done.
🎯 In Business, Every Day Is Game Day
We know about medical practices and sports practices. We expect professionals to train, rehearse, and refine.
But in business? We are expected to be ON all the time.
Every meeting. Every pitch. Every presentation ➡️ Game Day!
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the surest pathway to burn out and frustration.
But with the smallest switch of the mindset …
🧠 What If Everything Was Practice?
Think about it:
Your pitch to the boss flopped? That’s practice.
The team meeting went sideways? Practice.
The conversation turned tense? Still practice.
As the well worn joke goes:
A pedestrian on 57th Street sees a musician getting out of a cab and asks, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?”
Without pause, the artist replies wearily, “Practice, man, practice.”
When it’s all practice:
✅ You get to try again
✅ You’re not defined by one bad moment
✅ You learn, adjust, and improve
🎥 Practice Means Watching the Tape
You don’t fail.
And no, you're not back at square one.
You just learned what didn’t work—so you can change it next time.
Questions like these shift your mindset:
💬 “What didn’t land in that pitch?”
💬 “What was my team member really reacting to?”
💬 “Where did the conversation start to derail?”
🔄 The Game Changer
When you view each moment as practice:
👍 You’re no longer reacting!
👍 You’re creating the conditions for success
👍 You’re ready for detours, pivots, and imperfect days
😬 Young Me vs. Seasoned Me
As a young facilitator, I’d panic when things went off track.
“I’m losing the group!”
Now I see those moments as gold.
They’re not disruptions—they’re opportunities to learn about the group, the client, or the outcome.
And I get to practice a bit more!
🛠️ New Game Plan - “Next Time”
In order to practice every day, use the Next Time Game Plan.
Each time you don’t achieve the goal, quickly move onto asking yourself what you will do “next time”.
Remember, you’re practicing!
No, you’re not satisfied with the outcomes, but remember, you’re not back square one either.
You’re working on improving your performance, behaviour or attitude. Because there is always a “next time”.
10 Things to Practice for “Next Time”
If you’re adopting the “it’s all practice” mindset, treat each experience as a rep — an opportunity to prepare better and respond differently. Here are 10 ways to approach your next challenge.
Mental Prep
Get a good night’s sleep — A fresh mind handles uncertainty better.
Clarify your objective — Could you state it so clearly your audience repeats it back?
Know Your Audience
Understand their triggers — What motivates or frustrates them?
Confirm their challenges — Don’t guess — ask. What’s really bothering them?
Be confident in your diagnosis — Can you articulate what’s driving their pain, not just the symptoms?
Set the Stage
Pick the right time and place — Timing matters. So does privacy.
Have private chats with disruptors — Leadership often happens one-on-one, not in front of the group.
Sharpen Your Delivery
Prepare for the difficult conversation — Have you checked your assumptions?
Connect your solution to their needs — Show how your product, advice, or idea helps them win.
Rehearse and reflect — Practice your delivery. Anticipate objections — not with anxiety, but curiosity.
🔁 Final Thought
You don’t need to be perfect.
You just need to keep practicing.
Because there’s always a next time.
And next time starts now.
🎯If this has been helpful, these might be as well…
Question: What’s one thing you’ll practice differently next time?
Resource: I created a worksheet for you to use that may help build clarity around tor objectives. Totally free. I hope it helps.
Let me know if it could be improved!