“Pali, I’m glad you’re just human too.”
That’s what one of my amazing clients told me, and I have to admit – I kept thinking about that sentence the whole day.
Let me give you the context.
On Wednesday mornings, I almost always have my 2-hour bike training in the office.
It’s brutal. When Peťo Sagan said there’s nothing nice about cycling, he was right.
It’s pure suffering, especially when you’re not out in nature, but just grinding for strength and endurance.
This time, I was pushing high watts, and more than 5 times I thought about quitting.
My legs were gone. Zero energy. Sleep wasn’t great either.
But somehow, I finished it. And yes, I pounded my chest with pride that I didn’t give up.
But going back to what my client told me…
I started to wonder: How do I actually come across to others?
That everything goes easily for me?
That it’s all comfortable?
That people see me winning, but don’t see the grind, the sweat, the pain, the quiet lonely battles?
Maybe it’s time to talk about the things I messed up.
The 1000 cold emails in 2022 that brought 7 replies and 1 meeting that went nowhere.
The LinkedIn spamming when I invited everyone to discovery calls, hoping someone would care.
My stubbornness, thinking I could build a business alone without help – it cost me over 8 months.
My pride, not hiring a sports coach and trying to prep for a marathon by myself, where at the 32nd km I nearly died (literally).
All the people who didn’t choose me. Who ghosted me. Or canceled collaborations we agreed on.
The nights spent studying, testing, experimenting – only to be useless the next day.
All that physical pain, but also the mental pain, when it felt like the whole world was against me…
There’s a lot I could write about.
But while you might be stuck on one failed attempt…
…I’ve already got dozens of hours behind me.
Another discovery call in my calendar. A few offers on the table with dream clients…
And no, I’m not bragging. That’s not the point.
I just want to remind you of one thing:
I’m human. I make mistakes. A lot of them. They hurt. And I suffer often…
But I don’t let one or two losses stop me.
Because sports taught me – before you can start winning, you first need to learn from losing.
And that’s exactly what most people don’t do.
They go in circles. Drown in fear.
Look for reasons why not, instead of ways how yes.
They avoid failure, pain, and the unknown…
At the very beginning of my business journey, Daniel Kraft told me something I’ll never forget:
“If you choose this entrepreneurial path, it will always be about signing the next client…”
And that path won’t be – and doesn’t need to be – pleasant.
That will never change.
Either you’re cut out for it. Or go get a job instead.
And me?
3 years later, I’m still playing this same game.
Not as an immortal.
But as someone who refuses to give up, even when he hits the ground hard, or when it hurts down to the bone.
Finish line Half-Ironman: 5h 26min
With that, I wish you a great weekend – and challenge you to think about how you’ll start the next week.
Will you let every failure slow you down or stop you?
Or will you play your own game – with confidence – and always for the win?
Always in your corner.
Pali “just a mortal” Lošonský
