The real mistake? Having a 9-5.
by Penelope Stephens
You probably noticed that we had a new product launch recently.
I won’t lie, the launch has been a lot of work. As I was writing copy to relate to our audience stuck in their 9-5s, it really sent me back to when I had a 9-5.
But one moment really took me back this week - in a really horrible way.
So, in the first sales email we sent out pre-launch, I made a typo. OMG, no way… yes way.
Now this moment took me baccckkkkkk.
Back to when I had my first 9-5 and I made that same mistake - a typo in an email.
As I recalled this memory, I felt the anxiety rush over me - the same anxiety I had felt when it happened. Trauma really does stick with you… especially that 9-5 trauma.
Anyway, here’s the memory…
I was 22 and had been tasked to send out an email to 100s of clients. I wrote it and got it approved.
I didn't see the typo in the email (obviously).
For context, this typo was “alike” when it should have been “the like”. I remember it like it was yesterday…
So, the moment someone noticed the typo, I was called into the office with my boss, my manager and a couple of other people who probably didn't need to be there.
We had a full-on meeting about it and I got an absolute earful for this mistake.
Genuinely, I thought the world was ending as it had been made out to be the biggest deal in the world.
Anyway, I cried and I felt like an absolute failure. Crushed and defeated.
…
So let’s go back to today and the email that went out to 20,000 people…
After the email was sent, I read it again and noticed the typo.
I told Eden and neither of us were overly bothered by it.
He said “All well, mistakes happen” and moved on because we had more important things to do.
Because guess what?? Mistakes do happen.
I can’t even remember what the typo was in the email that just went out and you probably didn’t even notice it.
There are a few lessons here such as; what makes a manager vs a leader; learning to manage your time on important things over silly things; or even just how mistakes help you learn…
But the lesson I want you to take away is simply that most 9-5s suck (in our experience).
If someone is yelling at you for something as small as a typo, run.
If you spend your days crying in the bathroom, run.
If there is a meeting with 5 people for a mistake you have made, run.
Remember that everyone makes mistakes.
The smartest thing you can do is acknowledge the mistake, learn from it and move on as quickly as you can because there are more important things to focus on.
Don’t beat yourself up about mistakes or waste your time on them like maybe your boss does.
I can't guarantee that working for yourself will be the answer but I can guarantee you, a tpyo in an email is not worth your time.
Just a thought.
XO
P
(See what I did up there? With the tpyo? I mean typo 😉)
I won’t lie, the launch has been a lot of work. As I was writing copy to relate to our audience stuck in their 9-5s, it really sent me back to when I had a 9-5.
But one moment really took me back this week - in a really horrible way.
So, in the first sales email we sent out pre-launch, I made a typo. OMG, no way… yes way.
Now this moment took me baccckkkkkk.
Back to when I had my first 9-5 and I made that same mistake - a typo in an email.
As I recalled this memory, I felt the anxiety rush over me - the same anxiety I had felt when it happened. Trauma really does stick with you… especially that 9-5 trauma.
Anyway, here’s the memory…
I was 22 and had been tasked to send out an email to 100s of clients. I wrote it and got it approved.
I didn't see the typo in the email (obviously).
For context, this typo was “alike” when it should have been “the like”. I remember it like it was yesterday…
So, the moment someone noticed the typo, I was called into the office with my boss, my manager and a couple of other people who probably didn't need to be there.
We had a full-on meeting about it and I got an absolute earful for this mistake.
Genuinely, I thought the world was ending as it had been made out to be the biggest deal in the world.
Anyway, I cried and I felt like an absolute failure. Crushed and defeated.
…
So let’s go back to today and the email that went out to 20,000 people…
After the email was sent, I read it again and noticed the typo.
I told Eden and neither of us were overly bothered by it.
He said “All well, mistakes happen” and moved on because we had more important things to do.
Because guess what?? Mistakes do happen.
I can’t even remember what the typo was in the email that just went out and you probably didn’t even notice it.
There are a few lessons here such as; what makes a manager vs a leader; learning to manage your time on important things over silly things; or even just how mistakes help you learn…
But the lesson I want you to take away is simply that most 9-5s suck (in our experience).
If someone is yelling at you for something as small as a typo, run.
If you spend your days crying in the bathroom, run.
If there is a meeting with 5 people for a mistake you have made, run.
Remember that everyone makes mistakes.
The smartest thing you can do is acknowledge the mistake, learn from it and move on as quickly as you can because there are more important things to focus on.
Don’t beat yourself up about mistakes or waste your time on them like maybe your boss does.
I can't guarantee that working for yourself will be the answer but I can guarantee you, a tpyo in an email is not worth your time.
Just a thought.
XO
P
(See what I did up there? With the tpyo? I mean typo 😉)
