Taking a knockout punch without getting knocked down

Learn to turn setbacks into growth, stay resilient, anticipate challenges, make informed choices, and redirect adversity into strength.

Feb 12, 2025

Hi,

Sometimes it doesn't work. You make assumptions and it turns out you weren't just wrong, you were laughably, calamitously, epicly, ruinously wrong; the kind of wrong that could actually bankrupt you or cause serious harm to yourself and/or those you love.

And right there, in that moment when you're living it, you have a choice about how to react. You can crawl up in a ball and let it happen to you, learn how to make it just a little bit worse every day so maybe it doesn't hurt so many people, or pivot in a way that turns your failure around and redirects it somewhere that doesn't hurt anyone.

The longer I do this work, the more I think that these moments, and how you choose to react in them, make or break somebody's spirit.

Luckily, this isn’t magic. It’s strategy.

People talk a lot about getting up from the mattress once you've been knocked down, but truly, the secret is how you take the force of a blow that was supposed to knock you down and redirect it so that you keep standing, even if you're staggering, and can maybe even redirect that energy into a knockout blow of your very own.

No, it's not about getting up after you're knocked down. It's about how you can absorb all that pain, redirect it in a positive direction, and never hit the floor in the first place.

How do we do this? Not surprisingly, I have a system for that, like everything else.

Before I get into it, I want to point out that this kind of thing is way easier when you are not in crisis. I was in crisis for about 25 years, in a constant state of suicidal ideation, panic attacks, and doom spiraling. I thought this was normal, and how everyone dealt with the world until I got on meds.

Even when I got out of it and started moving toward thriving, I assumed that what I went through was normal. I did not understand that most people are in crisis for weeks or months, or maybe a year, not since they were 15 until they were 40.

To succeed, I built structures that allowed me to create as a compulsive way to expel my overwhelming anxiety and created pathways to become successful even though I was in crisis. My structures did not make sense to any other human but me, but it was the only way I could make it happen.

How could I be in crisis if I was successful? Because I found ways to succeed despite my mental health crisis. I was constantly exhausted, panicked, and frightened, but I did it anyway. This is not normal.

You might think that you can’t be in crisis if you are doing well, to which I say that you might be succeeding, but you are not thriving. Being in crisis does not always mean being unable to perform. Sometimes it means performing despite massive headwinds.

Doom spiraling is not normal. Suicidal ideation is not normal. Panic attacks are not normal. You do not have to feel like this all the time.

That doesn’t mean you can’t make these strategies work if you’re in crisis. After all, I built my whole business while in crisis. I spent decades in crisis, and somehow made it work, but these things are way easier to handle if you aren’t in crisis. I remember the first time the fog cleared, I felt like a superhero because I’d been living with this huge weight my whole career.

Maybe you are not in crisis, but if you’re wondering how people can do this when it’s so hard, a big part of it might be that they are not in crisis.

Okay, let’s get to it. How to we avoid getting knocked out by a knockout punch?

Step 1: Anticipate and research potential outcomes

Prepare before the setback: Before diving into any venture, take the time to research potential challenges and their outcomes. Understand the risks involved, and familiarize yourself with scenarios where similar setbacks have occurred to others in your field. Most people research the “good outcomes” but make sure you’re looking at the “bad outcomes”, too. What is the worst outcome?
Gather insights: Investigate strategies others used to handle or avoid these setbacks, noting what worked and what didn’t. This foresight will give you a mental map of possible situations, so if a setback does happen, you already know your options. How have people recovered from the worst outcomes and what has happened in your life that you can use as a guide to do something similar?
Plan preemptive measures: With knowledge of potential outcomes, consider implementing early safeguards. This might include contingency planning, creating a support network, or building specific skills that will help you pivot more effectively if needed. Most people don’t want to look at the bad, but good risk assessment involved being prepared in any eventuality, even the worst ones. Just because you know the bad outcomes doesn’t mean they will happen. It just means you will be prepared if it happens.

Step 2: Recognize the setback early

Identify warning signs promptly: In the face of a challenge, pause and analyze the situation objectively. Recognize the signs that indicate a setback is unfolding, whether they’re financial losses, a stalled project, or strained relationships. Early recognition is key to preventing the problem from escalating. This is usually only possible if you’ve done the research beforehand and you are brave enough to look at the data objectively, even if you don’t like it.
Assess the root cause: Use the knowledge from your initial research to evaluate why the setback occurred. Is it due to an overlooked detail, an external factor, or an unexpected outcome? Pinpointing the cause helps ensure your response targets the real issue rather than just the symptoms. The quicker you can look at the data the better you will be at assessing the root cause of the problem, even if that root cause has many potential solutions.
Stay calm and grounded: Resist the urge to react emotionally. A clear mind allows you to make better decisions. Take a moment to reflect on the setback as part of the process, grounding yourself before you move to address it. You’ll almost always have to sit with the data for a moment in order to react calmly and rationally. This is why developing a general plan before you even get started is so important. It prevents you from acting emotionally.

Notice that the first two steps, arguably the most important steps, are all about preparation, not action. If you aren’t preparing for disaster, you are welcoming it to knock you down.

Step 3: Make an informed choice

Review your options with context: Now that you understand the setback’s root cause, review your possible responses. Your earlier research will guide you in selecting actions aligned with your goals and values. Consider options like pausing for further reflection, seeking advice, or implementing a pivot strategy.
Evaluate short-term and long-term impacts: Consider the potential consequences of each option. Ask yourself questions like, “Will this choice support my goals, or is it a short-term fix that could cause more problems later?” Look for paths that balance immediate relief with long-term success.
Commit to a direction: Once you’ve weighed the options, choose the approach that best serves your overall vision and commit fully. Acting decisively is essential—doubt and hesitation can magnify the setback rather than resolve it.

Step 4: Reframe failure as energy

Embrace the setback as fuel for growth: Rather than viewing the setback as a defeat, treat it as an opportunity to generate momentum. Remind yourself that every obstacle has the potential to be redirected toward growth, creativity, or resilience.
Shift your perspective: Focus on what you’re learning rather than what you’ve lost. By embracing a mindset that sees adversity as part of progress, you transform a negative experience into a positive one, harnessing it as a catalyst for growth.
Apply insights actively: Use the lessons from the setback to inform your next steps. If the experience revealed a skill gap, take time to develop it. If it highlighted a misalignment in your approach, adjust accordingly. These steps ensure that your setbacks lead to meaningful improvement.

Step 5: Take small, consistent actions

Avoid the pressure for instant fixes: Rather than aiming to fix everything at once, commit to small, manageable steps that move you forward consistently. Each small action builds momentum and provides a sense of progress, even if the path feels slow.
Focus on building resilience, not just results: Measure your progress by your ability to adapt and stay on course, not by the immediate outcome. This approach allows you to fortify your foundation, making it more resilient to future setbacks.
Keep a record of progress: Document each small step and the insights you gain along the way. Over time, this record will serve as a testament to your resilience and provide encouragement during challenging moments.

Step 6: Channel energy into a comeback

Redirect the setback’s momentum into new initiatives: Once you’ve stabilized, consider how the setback can fuel a fresh start or an improved version of your original plan. Whether it’s a new project, refining existing work, or launching an entirely different venture, use the energy you’ve built through resilience.
Share what you’ve learned with others: The comeback phase can be empowering for others as well. Share your experience openly, using it to inspire those around you or to strengthen relationships with others in your field. People love an underdog, and will often rally to your cause. Be forewarned, though, that people hate a hot mess, so this strategy can backfire if you don’t have a plan to fix it.
Reinforce your self-belief: Celebrate the steps you’ve taken to overcome the setback. Acknowledge that the resilience you’ve cultivated through this process is a permanent asset, ready to support you in future challenges.

Step 7: Reflect and adjust

Conduct a post-setback review: Once you’ve fully overcome the setback, take time to reflect on the entire experience. What prepared you well, and where were there gaps? This review turns the setback into a resource for your personal and professional development.
Document key takeaways: Write down what worked, what didn’t, and any insights gained. These notes will serve as a personal playbook, making you more prepared for similar challenges in the future.
Integrate adjustments into your plan: Use this experience to refine your strategies and approaches. Each setback you’ve successfully navigated becomes part of your growth story, reinforcing your ability to face future obstacles with strength and foresight.

By following these steps, setbacks become less about loss and more about transformation, building resilience and strength with each experience. The goal is not just to survive the hits but to emerge stronger, armed with the energy they brought, ready to face whatever comes next.

I feel like my whole career is constantly learning how to hold a ticking bomb and finding ways to use the explosion to lift me up instead of blowing up in my face. After two decades of this kind of work, I’ve built up dozens of systems that help me evaluate potentially dangerous situations and react when they do.

One of the reasons I’m so obsessed with looking at data is because it can reveal insights I can use to fix mistakes moving forward and repair them in the moment.

I’m constantly reading and listening to strategies that I can apply in different situations because I know I’ll be in a bad place again and need as many tricks in my toolbox to get out of the next jam. I keep standing because I’m informed and squirrelly. When the walls close in, I find ways to wriggle out without getting mortally wounded.

I’m also constantly learning new skills, even if they fizzle in the moment. Courses never worked for me in the 2010s, but all of that knowledge came in handy when we created The Kickstarter Accelerator. My podcast never really took off, even after 200 episodes, but all of that knowledge was super helpful in designing the

Six Figure Author Experiment

with my co-host

Lee Savino

. My first books didn’t burn up the charts, but they still sell in bundles on my website, and taught me what not to do when building The Godsverse Chronicles and The Obsidian Spindle Saga, which taught me so much about how to do it better next time.

Because I’ve learned how to do so much in my life, and have such a massive back catalog, I have tons of strategies to help me recover when something goes disastrously wrong. More than helping me succeed, which they do, I’m mainly trying to build the biggest buffer possible so I can eat in the lean times.

Make no mistake, though, the more successful you get, the more likely you’ll run into these situations that can bankrupt you, and need better and better strategies to get through them. Lee calls these “millionaire problems”. If you do this right, the “smaller problems” won’t phase you, but your ambition will slam you into new problems on every new rung of the success ladder with even more potential to knock you out.

As you learn and grow, you’ll face bigger and bigger challenges, but you’ll also know how to get through the ones you’re dealing with now without batting an eye.

Just remember, you’re not supposed to win. That’s why it’s hard. In fairness, you’re not supposed to lose, either. You’re not supposed to play the game at all.

You’re supposed to be happy with your lot in life, not rise above it.

When you don’t win, that is the universe acting as intended. It’s a feature of existence, not a bug.

You shouldn’t be upset when the universe acts as intended. You should only be happy when you find a way to win anyway.

I will never be ashamed of punching out of my league and being outmatched. May our reach always exceed our grasp.

What do you think?

What’s a setback you’ve faced recently, and how did you handle it? If you could approach it differently now, what would you change?
When challenges arise, do you tend to retreat, push forward, or pivot? How has your approach shaped your growth?
What’s one way you could start preparing now for potential setbacks in your work or personal life?

Let us know in the comments.