Are You Too Wedded to the Outcome?

By Dino Tartaglia.

I recently had what I thought was a brilliant idea. One of those "this is going to be amazing" lightbulb moments.

My apartment in Porto, Portugal, sits empty when I'm travelling. And since so many of my friends tell me they love the idea of working remotely and experiencing the digital nomad lifestyle, I figured - why not offer them the chance?

It'd be a win-win. They get a taste of the Porto life, I get the satisfaction of knowing I've helped them get a falvour of, and take a step towards, location freedom.

So, I reached out to seven people who seemed like the perfect fit.

And what happened?
Absolutely. Nothing.
Nada.
The square root of naff all.
Not a single one of them took me up on the offer.

Now, at first, I was baffled. I'd imagined at least two or three of them jumping at the chance, bags packed before I'd even finished the offer. But instead, I got a mix of "Oh wow, that's amazing!" and "I'd love to, but…", followed by exactly zero action.

So, what went wrong? That's when it hit me…

Breaking My Own Rules

I teach business owners that for an offer to land and convert successfully, you need to have:

1. A crystal-clear understanding of the problem you solve
2. Clarity on the solution you provide and why it works for your ideal client
3. A visceral connection with why both the problem and the solution matter to your market
4. Messaging that enters the conversation already happening in your ideal client's head
5. An offer so compelling your ideal client would feel stupid rejecting it
6. A large enough audience of ideal clients who have some skin in the game (desire, financial need, emotional commitment)

And guess what? I did none of that.

I had a nice idea. I assumed that these people wanted what I wanted for them. And I offered it with zero cost, commitment, and urgency. Which, ironically, is exactly what I coach people NOT to do.

So, what did I get in return? A lot of polite enthusiasm… and nothing else.

Lessons From Falling Flat

Here's where I really went wrong: I was wedded to the outcome. I was so caught up in my excitement about the idea that I forgot to check whether the people I was offering it to were aligned with it at that moment.

I didn't put it in front of enough of the right people. Seven is hardly a meaningful sample size, and let's be honest - just because someone says they love the idea of something doesn't mean they'll act on it.

I won't lie - initially, I was a bit miffed. But then, I stepped back and had a word with myself.

People have busy lives. And they mean well. But meaning well doesn't equate to action. And they probably would take me up on the offer if their priorities were different at the time the offer was made.

Here's the upside:
Instead of sulking (which I *promise* I didn't do), I asked: "What's the lesson here?" and, more importantly: "What can I do differently?"

The Pivot That Worked

That's when it hit me. I was thinking about this all wrong. If people weren't jumping on the free offer, maybe 'free' was the problem. So, I repackaged the idea. Instead of just offering my space, I turned it into a VIP Weekend in Porto - a paid experience where business owners could come and work with me for a couple of days, tackling their biggest business challenges in an inspiring setting.

Guess what? That started converting. Why? Because this time, it ticked all the key elements of what we know works:

✅ The problem was clear. Business owners struggling to gain momentum needed focused, high-impact time to work ON their business. And 'buying our own time' is one of THE most effective tactics I know for entrepreneurs to make this happen.
✅ The solution made sense. A hands-on strategy weekend in an inspiring location, working with someone who has done this before, not once, but many hundreds of times.
✅ There was emotional and financial skin in the game. The right people now saw it as an investment with a clear payback, not just a "nice idea."
✅ I put it in front of the right audience. People who were actively looking for a business breakthrough at that precise time in their journey, not just vaguely interested in or excited by the idea of remote working.

And just like that, by not being wedded to the original result, the path to a better outcome appeared. A lesson worth remembering in Business and in Life.

The Takeaway

If your offer isn't landing, don't cling to the idea of what should have worked.

Instead:
👉 Step back and ask, Did I really put this in front of the right people?
👉 Was my offer clear and compelling, or just something I assumed they'd want?
👉 Did they have any real reason to say yes - or was it just an easy "maybe later" offer?

Most of the time, the answer is staring us in the face. We just need to stop looking at the wrong thing.

The key? Detach from the outcome, take responsibility, and adjust.
Because when you stop forcing your idea of what should work, the real opportunity shows up.

Next Steps

If this resonates with you, and you want hands-on coaching to apply this thinking in your business, come and join us inside Success Unlocked - our private coaching community where we help business owners just like you build a solid, sustainable and stress-free business.

Or, if you're ready for high-impact transformation, consider booking a VIP Weekend in Porto with me, where we'll tackle your biggest business roadblocks together.

Either way, don't stay stuck. Let's make this year the year your business - and your bank balance - finally reflect your brilliance.

If this is your time, let's talk. DM me, tag me in TFCEO Group, or book a call... and let's make this happen.

To your inevitable success.

Dino Tartaglia is a former Electronics Engineer, now a businessman, mentor, coach and troubleshooter working to help you, if you’re a coach, consultant, creative or service provider, to Build a Joyful, Dependable Business around Being Brilliant at What You Do. 

In his own coaching, and together with world-class coach Simon Hartley, the other half of Success Engineers (their joint business), he helps you to improve your thinking to ask better questions, so that you solve the right problems in your business at the right time, develop your own personal performance as a business owner and get closer to What Matters Most. 

You can find Dino in our FB Group , on his  website or on any of these other locations; Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram |PodCast - Back Bedroom to Big Business