Re-Energizing Your Spirit After Being Fired

We are entering a time of the year in sports, and perhaps business when the scoreboard and bottom-line results force change. We hear the dreaded words, “You’re Fired.” No matter the situation or reasons, there is nothing we can do to alter the decision. Yes, our comfortable world has come crashing down. Yes, this is not the ideal plan, and yes, we don’t always deserve the outcome. But complaining, making excuses, blaming others, and feeling unsupported as well as uninspired might all be authentic reasons to stay stuck and give in, except they are meaningless. No one cares. Life keeps moving on.

On the day you hear those dreaded two words, you will receive numerous texts or phone calls. You will have people curious from all over reaching out and checking in on your situation and well being. The next week, you might receive more of the same. The third and fourth weeks are the most revealing. Those individuals that stay in touch with you from week three and on are your real friends, allies, and purest relationships. When you lose something so dear, only those who know the pain does not subside are friends worth keeping.

The fired club has many distinguished members. If Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Walt Disney, J.K. Rowling, Bill Belichick, Sallie Krawcheck, and many others have heard those words, you are not alone. You will be back in time, but sorrow, resentment, anger, or complaining is not the best long term path to choose.

The first actions you must take after cleaning out your workspace and allowing initial emotions to subside is:

1. Send thank-you notes to everyone in the building. Handwritten letters to show your appreciation of their services. A note to all, even those that you feel might have helped facilitate your departure.

2. Be honest with your self-evaluation of the job you performed. A self-evaluation requires honesty, not blame. It requires owning your mistakes. How are you going to improve if you don’t understand why you fell short.

3. Make a list of all the things you believe you did well in your job and detail the reasons why.

4. Make a list of all the things you did poorly—and find ways to improve. Read or attend seminars to help yourself grow. Do not blame anyone other than yourself for not being successful in these areas. Take accountability and keep evolving.

5. Challenge your mind daily. Learn something new each day. Study someone who failed and how they recovered.

6. Break up with your phone. Enjoy freedom. Cultivate your personal freedom.

7. Exercise without distractions. Let your mind and body connect. You will come up with great new ideas.

8. Spend time learning from someone outside your industry. If you coach a specific sport, find a sport or industry outside your comfort zone. Learn new ways to teach, lead, and inspire.

9. Remain positive. Don’t allow bitterness to rule the day and your life. How you strengthen and develop yourself today will impact tomorrow.

10. Don’t say no to possibilities. Don’t limit yourself or place restrictions on your next opportunity. Remember, jobs can become what we make of them.

Albert Einstein once said, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Realize there come times in life where adversity and obstacles confront us. These moments become unique opportunities to reassess our lives and priorities while taking a holistic time out. A minor setback is always preparing us for a major comeback.

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