I have friends where music is the family business—their daughter is an exceptionally talented viola player. She’s had a smooth, steady climb from elementary school to a scholarship at a prestigious university 3,000 miles away from home.
So, you can imagine her mother’s surprise seeing her daughter in tears during their weekly video chat. The first concert of the season is just around the corner, but a rehearsal was so disastrous that the conductor lost his temper and started screaming.
She told her daughter that mistakes and fine-tuning aren’t a failure—they’re actually the point of rehearsal. She reassured her, “Even Yo-Yo Ma spends rehearsals ironing out the kinks! It will all come together by show day.”
Can you relate to the daughter? You’re sure you’re living on purpose, but then a big opportunity doesn’t come together quite the way you hoped? Maybe it even feels like it’s on the verge of falling apart?
Wanting splashy, instant success isn’t a shortcoming—it shows you’re passionate. So, a setback here or there doesn’t mean you’re behind, less than, or that this “purpose” thing is wishful thinking. It’s a signal to be persistent.
Let’s meet someone who used persistence to build a groundbreaking idea into an empire.
Missy Park had an a-ha moment in 1989: a mail-order business specializing in athletic attire specifically designed for women. Her goal was to help women feel confident on the playing field, and that meant rethinking uniform and practice gear designs. She even decided to name her new venture “Title Nine” after the 1972 law enabling gender equality for women athletes. You could say she was a woman on purpose.
With Title Nine based in the Bay Area, soliciting funds from local venture capitalists would have been a natural first step. Nevertheless, Park decided to manage the business solely on the merit of its sales. Surviving without independent funding or affiliation with an established brand was a huge gamble. However, it gave the Title Nine crew a surprising upside: Freedom.
Suddenly, Title Nine had the autonomy to design product lines that made sense to them, rather than snapping to corporate mandates. They could experiment, fine-tuning and piloting collections as they wished. And they spent more time talking with customers than bankers.
Missy Park remains the sole owner. However, she likes to sum up their success by highlighting everyone’s contributions, stating, “The story of Title Nine is a story of hitting singles.” Single after single added up to a $100 million business that proudly features many women-owned lines.
In the September series, Pivot with Purpose, we’re discussing how you can take charge of your next chapter by using your favorite people skills. The case study demonstrates how conflicting items can coexist: you can experience challenges and uncharted territory and still work towards your purpose.
The good news is that soft skills give you practical, tactical ways to handle those setbacks. For instance, did you catch how Missy Park and her team honed competencies like becoming a trusted collaborator to designers, combining emotional intelligence with discernment to understand customer needs, and staying adaptable to an evolving online marketplace? You can use the same How tactics for your benefit.
So, if you’re experiencing a holdup or even a mistake or two, reframe difficulties as a normal part of the process. Use these mindset swaps to handle them in stride:
* I can’t believe that project didn’t work out becomes Data helps me fine-tune.
* I’m frustrated by how long it’s taking becomes I am passionate and dedicated.
* I want a big win becomes Small, consistent wins give me steady progress.
Purpose and persistence work hand-in-hand. So, don’t let an obstacle or two or someone’s judgy comment about an accidental stumble throw you off your purpose. Like the case study, keep listening, learning, and playing your own game (even if others don’t see your vision yet). Press forward with integrity, grit, and determination.