Last but Not Least - THE BEST OF THE BLOG The Art of Letting Bad Things Happen [AFTER 3 WEEKS OFF OF THE BLOG] Loong time no see! I just landed back in California from a long overdue mini-retirement through London, Scotland, Sardinia, the Slovak Republic, Austria, Amsterdam, and Japan. Some unpleasant surprises awaited me when I checked in on the evil e-mail inbox. Why? I let them happen. I always do. Here are just a few of the goodies that awaited me this time: e » One of our fulfillment companies had been shut down due to the CEO’s death, causing a 20%+ loss in monthly orders and requiring an emergency shift of all web design and order processing e+ Missed radio and magazine appearances and upset would-be interviewers e » More than a dozen lost joint-venture partnership opportunities It’s not that I go out of my way to irritate people—not at all—but I recognize one critical fact: Oftentimes, in order to do the big things, you have to let the small bad things happen. This is a skill we want to cultivate. What did I get in exchange for temporarily putting on blinders and taking a few glancing blows? e = I followed the Rugby World Cup in Europe and watched the New Zealand All Blacks live, a dream I’ve had for the last five years. HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_013992