Over the last 10 years, I’ve lost nearly $1M in various investments.

Some of these were poor choices on my part, some were business deals that went south, and in other situations I was flat out lied to.

Not fun.

I’ve certainly had my fair share of past mistakes professionally too, both as a leader and an entrepreneur.

I don’t often think about these decisions and experiences anymore; however, when I do, I have a lot of regret. I’ve found it difficult to prevent those experiences from defining me and holding me back, when I should be using them as a tool for growth.

Then, a few months ago, I had an insight that changed everything.

The Past is a River,

Not a Reservoir

Reservoirs store water but it doesn’t move. It becomes stagnant. When your past is a reservoir, you shackle yourself in past experiences and subconsciously hinder your ability to innovate, take risks, and lead with clarity.

Rivers acknowledge the past but still flow forward, using the past to shape new opportunities rather than reliving old wounds. Rivers don’t erase the past; they carries it forward.

When you treat your past as a river rather than a reservoir, you allow your past experiences to fuel your journey forward, rather than holding you back.

Signs You’re Leading from a Reservoir Mindset

1. You’re Letting Past Failures Dictate Future Decisions

• • Responding to new team members with, “we tried that before, and it didn’t work”
  • Avoiding bold moves because of one past misstep that didn’t go as planned

2. You’re Paralyzed by Fear of Change

• • Avoiding making a major decision because you’re afraid of getting it wrong
  • Hesitating on restructuring, hiring, or expanding because of discomfort it’ll cause

3. You’re Carrying Unresolved Leadership Baggage

• • Holding onto resentments from a past business deal, partnership, or conflict
  • Allowing a previous betrayal or loss to shape how you trust others now

4. You’re Micromanaging Instead of Empowering

• • Struggling to trust your team because someone let you down in the past
  • Taking control as soon as you feel like things are headed off course

How to Shift from a Reservoir to a River Mindset

1. Extract the Lesson, Not the Limitation

• • Use past setbacks as feedback, not excuses to stay the same.

2. Take Calculated Risks Even When You’re Afraid

• • Every thriving company has leaders who failed at something before succeeding at something greater. A river leader knows that stagnation is more dangerous than failure.

3. Let Go of Past Resentments

• • Address issues, learn from them, and move on—so you can lead from purpose, not from wounds.

4. Trust the Team and the Process

• • Don’t let one bad hire, one failed initiative, or one partnership gone wrong dictate how you lead today.

Are you storing up your past and letting it define how you lead today or are you flowing forward with it? Don’t be a reservoir leader. Lead through your past, not from it.