A missing file failure that led to 10-years of success

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DO SCHOOL DIFFERENT

“Oh no,” I thought.

I’m in my very small apartment in Chicago. It’s Sunday afternoon.

I slam my laptop shut with frustration.

I’m pissed.

Then kinda scared.

“Oh no,” I think. “Where did my files go?”

I’m new to the podcast game. Recording five, maybe up to ten episodes.

My mentor, John, gave me this advice before starting: You want at least a 6 week runway before launch. That way you’re never playing catch up or scrambling to publish.

So there I was — pre podcast launch — with a number of episodes in the vault.

I just finished recording with a brilliant principal, Tim Devine, earlier that morning.

The leader of the #1 high school in the state of Illinois at the time — Walter Payton College Prep. I learned so much from him.

And I can’t find the file of our recording anywhere.

I look everywhere. Dropbox. Google Drive. Hard Drive. I even look under my couch for a thumb drive.

Nothing. Nada.

I can’t find that recording no matter how hard I try.

I am so embarrassed.

Not sure what to do next, I draft an email explaining the situation. I profusely apologize for the mistake. And I invite Tim back onto the show.

Minutes later I get his response. Tim says, “No.”

I’m shattered, but I kinda get it.

It is my fault. I own it. Now I have to live with the consequence.

So that conversation will never be brought into the world.

And then I think …

I mean I really think …

I’ll quit now before it gets hard. I’m not cut out for this.

Yes, I’ve invested some financial resources. Yes I’ve invested a good amount of time.

But maybe this was the universe telling me I was on the wrong path …

I slump back into my chair defeated.

It will be easier to stop now, than to put myself out there in public week after week. Who knows what kind of haters, trolls, and conspiracy theorists I might attract if the podcast really took off.

Just then I look next to my computer. I see a book.

A book that helped me launch this dream written by an author named James Altucher. The title was Choose Yourself: Be Happy, Make Millions, Live the Dream.

(all of those have come true in my life).

“Hmm.” I think.

“I ain’t givin’ up. I’m gonna choose myself.”

I feel warm. Confidence rises inside me.

I do a bit of research and learn how to automate file storage and backups. I learn from this mistake and never make it again.

This isn’t the first mistake I’ll make regarding my podcast and eventual business, but it is the moment that I choose to learn from obstacles and challenges.

I frame them as an opportunity to get better.

So my recording system improves that day. I level up.

Now FAST FORWARD to next week — Sept 2 to be exact — which marks the ten year anniversary of Better Leaders Better Schools.

It’s crazy writing down that sentence for sooooo many reasons.

You couldn’t have told me ten years ago that this show would work … would be a massive success …

Changing my life, but more importantly, adding value to literally thousands of Ruckus Makers around the world.

Reflecting on that I have a few thoughts about success and what it takes.

1. MOST OVERNIGHT SUCCESSES ARE TEN YEARS (OR MORE) IN THE MAKING. Consistently put in the work that creates value for others and everything (usually) works out like magic.

2. BE AN ORIGINAL. Seth Godin wrote about this in his fantastic book Purple Cow. How many people are out there talking about Ruckus Makers Do School Different? (Here’s a secret lesson: Books aren’t for reading. Books are for doing).

3. FIRE YOURSELF. I enjoy nothing more than creating new programs. Running them a few times. Then inviting my team to take them over. This is the best way to scale impact.

4. ASK THIS QUESTION EVERY MORNING: What can I do today that will make everything else easier or unnecessary?

5. LOOK FOR LEVERAGE. Leverage can be automation and tech. Leverage is AI right now for smart Ruckus Makers. Leverage can be coaching and mentorship via 1-on-1 engagements or masterminds.

6. TAKE ACTION, THEN IMPROVE. Most people wait until it’s perfect. That’s stupid and the path of the Coward. Perfection doesn’t come. It’s a way to hide. Take action. Get feedback. Make it better.

7. FEAR IS OFTEN AN INDICATOR THAT YOU’RE ON THE RIGHT PATH. There are two sides to every coin. Fear and Excitement. It shows up in the body the same. So you either take advantage of the opportunity or you don’t.

8. WHAT KIND OF PAIN DO YOU CHOOSE? Jim Rohn said, "We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons."

9. SUCCESS, MONEY, AND RECOGNITION WILL NOT MAKE YOU HAPPY. Living a full life and playing the game on your terms will make you happy. If no has told you yet, I will. You can’t bring anything with you when you die. No money. No awards. No nothing.

10. LOVE. Love is the Cheat Code for life. When I was still running the Ruckus Maker Mastermind, I would often end our coaching call with “Love you guys, see you next week.” I meant it. People felt it. So put an abundant amount of love into everything you do.

I’ll close with this … The last decade of my life has been nothing short of LEGENDARY. I showed up, but so did YOU. This Do School Different does not work without Ruckus Makers. And because of that, THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart.

ALBA