It’s Not Failure, It’s a Pivot: The Power of Changing Course
There’s a myth in the entrepreneurial world that you have to stick with your original idea, no matter what. To change your mind is to admit defeat. This is a dangerous lie.
The truth is, your first idea is rarely your best idea. The most successful businesses are not the ones that stubbornly stick to Plan A; they are the ones that are agile enough to listen, learn, and change course. This is called a pivot.
A pivot is not a failure. It is a strategic course correction based on new information. It’s the decision to change direction in your business—your offer, your audience, your marketing—because you’ve learned what’s working and what isn’t.
Pivoting is a sign of:
- Intelligence: You are learning from the market and making data-driven decisions.
- Courage: It takes guts to let go of what you’ve built in pursuit of what could be better.
- Alignment: It’s an acknowledgment that you’ve grown and evolved, and your business needs to grow and evolve with you.
Your business is not a static monument; it is a living, breathing entity. It is meant to change. Give yourself permission to let go of the parts that are no longer serving you or your vision. The pivot is not the end of the story; it’s the plot twist that makes it interesting.
Actionable Nurturing Step: Ask yourself one honest question: “What part of my business is still running on an old version of me?” What is one thing—an offer, a service, a belief—that no longer feels aligned? Just acknowledging it is a powerful first step.
Kim, thanks for writing this post. We are made to believe that we are doing something wrong when we shift our focus. But I’ve learned that, as my business grows, some things I won’t do anymore. Clients may have changed. My skills and interest have changed. And, trends are changing rapidly so I pivoting is okay.
This was so refreshing to read – I think we all fall into that trap of feeling like we are failing when actually and ajustment is the right way. Thank you.
Desi-Ann, You are welcome. One thing I’ve learned since being in business we will pivot and swirve if we want our business to reflect our hearts desire and to grow. We need to acknowledge what is being shown to us about what is working and what isn’t.
Desi-Ann, I love that you aren’t continuing with those things that don’t nuture your business. So often it is difficult to let go of what may have gotten you to where you are. Pivoting is okay and it is a CEO move.