October 19, 2024

Read Time — 5 minutes

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Ever notice that society tells us to be obsessed with perfection?

You see it all over social media.

People flaunt:

• Their perfectly toned bodies

• Their ideal romantic relationships

• Their seemingly flawless businesses raking in millions

It's everywhere. No wonder we get caught up in it and expect the same from ourselves.

In business, we end up chasing flawless execution and trying to avoid mistakes at all costs.

And where does that leave us?

In a state of procrastination.

If we don't start, we won't fail.

Sound familiar?

And when things don't go as planned, it's easy to see those moments as failures.

But what if, instead of trying to hide the breaks and the imperfections, we embraced them?

What if the cracks were the very thing that make us stronger?

In this letter, we'll talk about how the Japanese art of Kintsugi can teach us how to become stronger and more resilient in times of failure so we can create more opportunities for growth.

By the way — I’m opening up spots for Resistance Reset soon.

This is where we’ll identify and overcome any internal resistance you may have that’s keeping you stuck with what you want (goals, actions, or anything under the sun) so that action becomes effortless — all in 1 session.

If you're interested in more details around this, reply with "Reset" and let's chat.

Kintsugi — The Practice of Mending Broken Pottery with Gold

Recently, I've been inspired by Japanese culture (and food lol) after my trip to Japan with family.

My wife, Bea, re-introduced the idea of Kintsugi to me as she plans to use the concept in one of her presentations at work.

So, what is Kintsugi?

Kin = Golden

Tsugi = Joinery

The word Kintsugi literally means to join with gold.

The broken pieces of an accidentally smashed pot, carefully picked up and reassembled, filling the cracks with gold — making the pot more valuable and beautiful than before.

This process even makes the pot stronger and more resilient.

What if we can apply this idea to our own lives and businesses?

When something goes wrong — when things "break:"

• A missed deadline

• An initial business plan that didn't work

• Or even a personal setback like forgetting to turn off the stove and your kitchen catching fire (okay, maybe not that extreme, but you get the point)

What if, instead of trying to hide or disguise the damage, we embrace the flaws and use them to create something even better?

You then start to see setbacks and failures not as a reason to give up or change direction, but as a part of your story that redirects you towards your goal.

They make you who you are, and when you repair the setbacks with care, you come out stronger.

Applying Kintsugi in Your Life and Business

Here's how you can use Kintsugi whenever you face challenges and temporary defeat.

1) Acknowledge the Breaks

Be honest about the challenges and setbacks you're facing. Ignoring and denying them will only amplify your stress.

So when you send the wrong email, forget an attachment, or even show up late to an important meeting — acknowledge it.

Remember that owning up to the mistake and acknowledging it is your first step toward growth.

2) Carefully Pick Up The Pieces

Once you've acknowledged the setback, allow yourself to reflect on what happened.

Picking up the pieces means taking time to understand where things went wrong without rushing to fix it.

Be patient with yourself, understand that it's all part of the journey, and take responsibility without being hard on yourself.

This way, instead of reacting out of frustration or trying to immediately correct the situation, you take a moment to reflect on the situation calmly.

Ask yourself: What decisions, actions, or ideas are worth keeping? Which ones should change?

This helps you create clarity and move forward with intention.

3) Repair with Gold

Now comes the part where you "fill the cracks with gold."

What can you learn from this experience?

How can you use this experience to create something better in the future?

Learn from the experience and adjust your strategy.

Just like the gold in Kintsugi, these lessons strengthen you, helping you adjust and create something even better and making you more resilient.

The Kintsugi Mindset

Embracing The Kintsugi Mindset will help you develop important qualities that any successful entrepreneur has:

1. Resilience: Just like pottery that's been repaired with gold, you become more and more valuable when you've gone through trials and come out the other side.
   
   The cracks show that you didn't give up — that you adapted and kept moving forward.
   
   

2. Authenticity: Hiding your imperfections and failures often leads to more stress and burnout.
   
   It also makes you seem disingenuous — people will have a hard time relating with you.
   
   When you embrace your journey — mistakes and all — you bring more of yourself to your work, your relationships, and your business, and people will feel that.
   
   

3. Growth Mindset: Where you see challenges as opportunities for growth and development.
   
   

When you master these qualities, success is inevitable.

Not because you avoid failure, but because you learn from it and you keep going.

Business isn't about winning as fast as possible. It's about staying on course, no matter the setbacks.

In reality the only real "failure" on this journey is when you quit.

In Conclusion

So the next time you face a setback in your life or business, think of Kintsugi.

Don't hide the cracks. Instead, fill them with gold.

And those cracks and imperfections become the most valuable parts of your journey.

All the love,
All the power,

— Zach

P.S. Whenever you are ready, there are 2 ways that I can be of help to you:

1. Explore working with me on achieving your life and business goals if you are a founder, online entrepreneur, or sales professional — I’ll help you eliminate internal blocks and limiting beliefs so that action becomes effortless.

2. Follow me on X here if you want a source of bite-sized ideas and content that can help you become a high-achiever.