The Flies You Lose, the Deals You Miss, and the Attitude That Ruins It All

Have you ever been fly fishing with a guide? 

It’s one of the most fascinating paradoxes: equal parts preparation and frustration, skepticism and trust, technique and intuition.

Business development is no different.

In fact, if I were your guide in sales—or if I wasn’t afraid to hurt your feelings—there are three truths I’d tell you up front. Same truths you’d hear standing knee-deep in a cold stream, rod in hand, heart hoping for a strike.

1. You’re Going to Lose Some Flies

Yes, I tied those flies the night before. Yes, I’ll tie more after your trip.

And no—I don’t actually care that you lost them.

Losing flies is part of the game. It means you’re out there, trying, learning the feel of the cast, pushing for that perfect drift.

Just like in sales.

You’ll lose deals. You’ll misread situations. You’ll follow a script and still come up empty.

Stop obsessing over the perfect pitch. Start showing up with intention and curiosity.

Let go of the loss and focus on the next cast.

2. You Might Not Be Good at This Yet

Some people aren’t good casters.

At first, it’s messy. Erratic. Nothing feels natural.

But a good guide doesn’t expect perfection. They expect effort, trust, and willingness.

Sales works the same way.

We don’t expect reps or founders or anyone in growth to be rainmakers on day one.

But we do expect them to trust the system, follow the plan, and let the rhythm of it work on them.

Frustration is normal. Trust anyway.

It’ll come together. And when it does, the line will go tight—and the whole journey will make sense.

3. The Only Thing That Truly Ruins the Trip Is Your Attitude

This is the big one.

You could lose flies, make bad casts, even fall in the water. No problem. That’s all part of it.

But if you bring a bad attitude?

That’s when it gets rough—for you and everyone else.

A guide preps the gear, scouts the fish, camps by the water the night before to give you the best shot possible.

And they’re still just happy to be out there with you.

They want to help.

Sales leaders, founders, consultants—we’re the same.

We’re in this game because we love building something meaningful with you.

We’ve failed before. We’ve missed big. We’ve lost “fish” too.

But we show up again, every day, to help you find your swing and feel the tug. 

Final Cast

 You don’t have to be perfect.

You just have to keep showing up, listening to your guide, and staying in the game.

As Bob Ross said:

“There are no mistakes—just happy accidents.”

Sales is messy. It’s hard. It’s frustrating.

But with the right guide, the right mindset, and the willingness to try again…

You’ll net more than just clients.

You’ll find your rhythm.

You’ll find your flow.

And you’ll fall in love with the game.