George Perles, the former Michigan State football coach, used to teach his team what he called The 24-Hour Rule. No matter how big a win or how bad a loss you experience, you get 24 hours to deal with it, and then you have to move on.

Of course, this rule wasn't created to address significant events like the death of a loved one or a life-changing event, but to address the day-to-day highs and lows, so you don't stay down in the dumps when things don't go well or get too complacent when they do.

One of the most frequent conversations I've noticed among business owners is about the ups and downs of the journey. We all hear things like, "It's not about the destination; it's about the journey." You have to celebrate the wins along the way, but when things don't go well, perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.

I agree with all of these quotes, but this is a common conversation among business owners because it plays out in real life when we lose out on a big sale or a great opportunity.

After committing a bunch of time and energy to it, it sucks. It hits hard. On the flip side, it's amazing when we close a big deal or land a big sale. It feels great. And so, how do we deal with all of it? How do we enjoy the ups and make sure the downs don't keep us down too long?

George Perles' 24-Hour Rule does the trick. I give myself permission to sulk if I'm feeling disappointed about something, and I give myself permission to soak up those good vibes if I'm on a win. Still, within 24 hours, it's right back to work because that next disappointment or that next win is right around the corner.