Why Most Entrepreneurs Lose Before the Game Even Begins

Most business owners lose the game well before it even starts.

And it has nothing to do with funnels.
It has nothing to do with ads.
It doesn’t even have to do with your offer.

I was reminded of this truth recently in a pretty intense way.

See… I just competed for the second time on American Ninja Warrior.
I can’t disclose how it went until after the show airs… but what I can tell you is this:

The same thing that allows an athlete to rise when the lights are brightest…
…or get absolutely crushed by the pressure…
…is the same thing that determines whether a business owner shows up and dominates their niche or gets buried by the competition.

At the end of the day, business is a sport.
Mark Cuban even wrote a book about this.

And just like in sports, when you start to master the mental game of business, you give yourself an unfair advantage.
You stand out.
You show up more powerfully.
You dominate in your lane.

Let’s dig in.

The Make-or-Break Moment: How You Respond to Setbacks

The first big thing I see—over and over again—comes down to this:

When you’re faced with a setback… when you hit what feels like a “failure”…

That’s where most people either make it or break it.

Period.

Now let’s be real for a minute:
When you’re an entrepreneur, the stakes are way higher than when you’re an employee.

Yeah, some people talk about having a “Plan B.”
But for most entrepreneurs?
Plan B might as well feel like going to prison.

Why?
Because most Plan Bs lead back to a 9–5 job.
Back to a world where you have no control.
Where you can’t actually do what you want to do or live your passion.

And for a lot of us… that feels like being locked up.

So when you’re a business owner, the stakes are higher.
The pressure is higher.
The weight is heavier.

Game Day in Business

In sports, the pressure builds on game day—the competition, the bright lights, the cameras.

In business?
Game day looks a little different.

It might be:

• The day you host your masterclass, workshop, or webinar, hoping sales roll in.

• The moment you run a promotion or launch and you’re praying it performs.

• The end of the week or month when it’s time to pay yourself or your team.

• The end of a quarter when you realize you’re not as far along as you hoped.

Some days you’ll crush it.
You’ll feel on top of the world.
Other days… you’ll feel like you got knocked flat on your back.

That’s normal.

Because the truth is:

All the greats fail.
They fail over and over and over again.

But they know something most people don’t:

Failure is inevitable.
And so is success.

It’s how you respond—how you reframe the failure—that makes all the difference.

Reframing Failure: The First Big Mental Shift

Most people let failure beat them down.

They replay it in their heads over and over again.
They turn it into a story about themselves.
It becomes a belief… then an identity.
And before long, that belief dictates their actions, which creates more of the same results.

Even if they get a “win” here or there—a big launch, a great month of revenue—it’s usually short-lived.

So the first step in building an unshakable mental game is to learn how to reframe.

The Law of Polarity

There’s a fascinating principle in a book called The Kybalion.
It’s ancient—think Hermetic philosophy.
(For those who geek out on psychology and spirituality, it’s a gold mine.)

One of the core principles in it is the Law of Polarity:

Everything has two poles.
Left and right.
Up and down.
Hot and cold.
Love and hate.
Frustration and satisfaction.

It’s all relative.

What feels “hot” in Vermont might feel cool to someone coming from Florida.

The power in this principle is simple:
You can shift your pole.

You can move from fear to courage.
From self-doubt to determination.
From frustration to resourcefulness.

Not through fluffy positive thinking…
…but by neutralizing the charge in your emotions and shifting your perception.

Change Your State, Change Your Story

Tony Robbins teaches a simple but powerful framework:
State → Story → Strategy

• First, change your state. (How you move, breathe, hold yourself.)

• Then change the story you’re telling yourself.

• Only then do you implement the strategy.

That’s the foundation of the mental game.
Because how you think—how you interpret setbacks—determines how you act.

The Dark Work: The Skills You Build When No One’s Watching

The second key piece of the mental game often goes unseen.

It’s what you do in the dark.
When no one’s watching.
No likes.
No comments.
No applause.

It’s the boring work—the reps you put in.

Most entrepreneurs don’t want to hear this.
They’re busy chasing the next shiny object.

• “Is it the Instagram funnel I should be using?”

• “Maybe a webinar?”

• “Should I run ads? Start a Skool group? Try a VSL?”

Here’s the truth: all strategies can work.

But the strategy isn’t the problem.

The problem is that most people aren’t truly prepared.
They haven’t built the skills required to make any strategy work.

Skill Stacking Builds Confidence

Ask yourself:

• Are you learning how to speak and communicate your message in a compelling way?

• Are you improving your copywriting and marketing?

• Are you practicing the art of selling?

• Are you getting better at leading and delegating?

• Are you improving your ability to fulfill at a higher level for your clients?

These are the skills that separate those who thrive from those who flounder.

And the more skills you build, the more confident you become.

It’s like someone intimidated by the gym.
At first, they feel overwhelmed.
But after a few consistent weeks—lifting, moving, showing up—their confidence rises.

Same in business.

The more you stack skills, the less you chase shiny objects.
You stop hoping a new tactic will save you.
You know you can make things work because you’ve built yourself into the person who can.

The Power of Visualization: Practicing Success Before It Happens

The third key piece is visualization.

Not the woo-woo, “sit in a lotus pose and think happy thoughts” version.

I’m talking about mentally rehearsing the actual money-making moves you need to do.

• Picture yourself having that sales conversation.

• Visualize yourself recording the webinar.

• See yourself leading your team meeting or delegating that tough task.

Science Backs It Up

There’s a classic study with basketball players:

• Group 1 physically practiced shooting hoops.

• Group 2 didn’t touch a ball but visualized themselves practicing.

• Group 3 did nothing.

When they tested their improvement, the visualization group was nearly as good as the group that physically practiced every day.

Now… of course, you should do both.

But when you visualize and execute, you train your subconscious to expect success.
You make the moves feel familiar.
And that gives you an edge when it’s “game day.”

Your Self-Image: The Ultimate Mental Game Multiplier

The final piece—the one that ties it all together—is how you see yourself.

Do you see yourself as a qualified contender in your industry…
…or as an imposter barely keeping it together?

How you see yourself shapes how you show up.
It impacts the way you speak, sell, lead, and even create content.

You can’t outgrow your self-image.

The Maxwell Maltz Principle

Dr. Maxwell Maltz, author of Psycho-Cybernetics, put it perfectly:

“You act, feel, and perform in accordance with what you imagine to be true about yourself and your environment.”

Read that again.

Your results rise (or fall) to the level of your self-image.

The best athletes in the world—even the humble ones—carry a kind of humble arrogance.
They tell themselves they’re the best.
They believe it.
They speak it.
And it changes how they play.

If you keep telling yourself you’re not ready… not good enough… not as skilled as so-and-so…

You’ll act accordingly.

But if you start to see yourself as the real deal—someone capable, someone who belongs in the arena—your actions rise to meet that new standard.

A Challenge for You This Week

I want to leave you with a challenge.

Sit down this week and honestly evaluate yourself in these three areas:

1. Reframing Setbacks
   Are you letting setbacks define you… or are you reframing them as stepping stones?

2. The Dark Work
   Are you putting in the reps—developing skills—when no one’s watching?

3. Visualization & Self-Image
   Are you mentally rehearsing your success and speaking to yourself as the person who can rise to the occasion?

Success in business isn’t about finding the next magic funnel.
It’s about winning the mental game.

The mental game is what lets you rise under the bright lights.
It’s what keeps you moving forward when things don’t go your way.
It’s what transforms your identity… so your actions naturally follow.

Final Thoughts

Every entrepreneur faces setbacks.
Every single one.

The difference between those who rise and those who fall is how they think in those moments…
…the work they put in when no one’s watching…
…the images they hold in their minds about themselves.

If this resonates with you, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Drop a comment and let me know.
This is a slightly different kind of post than I usually write, so your feedback means a lot.

Here’s to mastering the mental game of business…
…so you can dominate your lane, rise under the bright lights, and build the business—and life—you’re truly capable of.

Who Is Jason Meland?

I am a value creator, mentor, and entrepreneur. I help online coaches master their messaging, attract dream clients, and build thriving high profit, high impact businesses.

When You’re Ready, Here’s How I Can Help You:

1. Grab a copy for the 5 posts responsible for 7 figures in online fitness sales: https://www.indemandcoach.com/5-posts-ebook-2505 

2. Join the waitlist to get an invite to join the Client Attraction Accelerator https://www.indemandcoach.com/in-demand-waitlist 

3. Work with me personally 1:1 to build a high profit, high impact online coaching business. DM me "mentorship" here for details