Messy, But Necessary: The Unexpected Benefits of Getting Your Ass Handed to You

First off, sorry for the slight delay between articles. While I could plan these out perfectly, I want the early days of The Playbook Papers to be raw and real, reflecting what's happening right now. If I'm facing challenges, you'll hear about it. If an experience sparks a breakthrough, I'll share it. And right now? We just held our flagship PAINKLLR event at Venice Beach so I was in the full focus there.

Expect the unexpected – relevant, important moments from my journey, offered in the hopes that you can see where my head's at, and maybe find something useful for your own path.

Today, let's talk about something crucial: the importance of getting your ass kicked. I mean those moments where you're left feeling completely defeated, questioning everything.

Our natural instinct is to avoid such situations. But there's a world of difference between genuine danger and the emotional sting of failure. Most people choose comfort, blind to the fact that short-term ease can lead to long-term stagnation.

A Story of Comfort & Laziness (and its Consequences)

August 2023. Our third PAINKLLR Venice Beach event. We expanded the space, made changes to the layout, and focused on creating a better visual experience. Throughout prep, we reviewed our previous year’s checklists and organized equipment in preparation for transport.

But exhaustion hit after a few days of filling sandbags and being out in the sun. We postponed finalizing some details, assuming we had it covered. It was a classic case of comfort and laziness.

Setup day was no different. Due to an event out of our control, it pushed out setup time by several hours so we finished what we wanted (not could) and said we can do the small stuff in the morning before we kick off. Another classic case of comfort and laziness.

Day of the event? No updated checklists, missing equipment, confusion among the team. The event itself was a constant firefighting exercise. We were relieved when it was over, but there was no post-event high, just the taste of defeat.

Evolve or Dissolve

Fast forward to PAINKLLR Venice Beach 2024. The memory of last year's near-disaster stayed with us. We felt the pressure, especially since we wouldn't be in LA until two weeks before the event.

But that pressure fueled us. We hit the ground running, meticulously organized, determined not to repeat past mistakes.

Event day arrived, and it was smooth. Sure, we identified minor areas for improvement, but the overall experience was a incredible. We both agree (and the team) we had come back stronger, smarter, more prepared. And I credit that smack to the face, ass-kicking we received the year before.

The Takeaway: Learning from Setbacks

I'm sharing this story now because it's fresh. If you follow PAINKLLR, you know our flagship event just happened (August 17, 2024 - Recaps Posted Here). It was a success, but only because we embraced the lessons of the past.

Don't let failure discourage you. Instead, learn from it. Allow yourself time and space to improve. Too many people let one bad experience extinguish the fire.

Remember, one setback doesn't define you. It's a chance to identify areas for growth, not a reason to abandon your dreams.

The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Embracing the Struggle

This mindset is critical for entrepreneurs and creators. The path to success is rarely linear. It's filled with challenges, setbacks, and moments where you feel like you're getting your ass handed to you.

But those moments are invaluable. They force you to adapt, innovate, and become more resilient. They reveal your blind spots and push you to develop new skills.

Embrace the struggle. Don't fear failure; see it as a stepping stone. Every successful entrepreneur has a story of overcoming adversity. It's not about avoiding setbacks, it's about learning to navigate them and willingly going back to test your newly developed self.

Closing the Gap: Action, Reflection, Growth

There's no shortcut to bridging the gap between dreams and reality. It takes intentional action, relentless self-reflection, and a willingness to learn from every experience, good or bad.

So, the next time you get knocked down, don't stay down. Get back up, dust yourself off, and analyze what happened. Extract the lessons, refine your approach, and keep pushing forward.

Remember, your dreams are worth fighting for. And every time you get your ass kicked, you're one step closer to achieving them.