By Brian Mitchell, Managing Partner & CEO.
Nobody wakes up excited to be laid off, dumped, passed over, or told their passion project has “a lot of potential” (translation: no). Setbacks are rude. They show up uninvited, eat your motivation, and never do the dishes.
But you now have a tool that doesn’t get tired of you, doesn’t say “everything happens for a reason,” and won’t bring up that time you swore you’d never apply for a job like that again. Here’s how to use it well.
Vent first, then get the facts
Your friends love you, but they’ve heard the story about your old boss four times. Dump the whole ugly version into a chat, then ask: “What are the facts here, separate from how I feel?” You’ll often find “my career is over” really means “one company picked someone else for one role.” Still annoying. Much less apocalyptic.
(Quick note: AI isn’t a therapist. If you’re in a genuinely dark place, talk to a real human trained for that.)
Do the post-mortem without the self-flagellation
Ask something like, “What went wrong that was in my control, and what wasn’t?” Maybe your pitch deck had too many slides. Maybe the world just wasn’t ready for artisanal dog kombucha. Both are useful to know, and only one is your fault.
Look for the opportunity behind the couch cushions
Laid off? Have AI map your skills to industries you’ve never considered. Relationship ended? Ask it to help you list the things you put on pause and actually miss, like that pottery class or sleeping diagonally across the bed. Business flopped? Figure out what’s worth salvaging. Most failures are less “total loss” and more “garage sale”: some junk, some treasures, one weird lamp.
Make a plan so small it’s embarrassing
After a setback, we tend to overcorrect. Suddenly you’re learning three coding languages and training for a marathon by Friday. Instead, ask AI to break your next move into tiny steps. Not “get a new job,” but “update two résumé bullets today.” Small wins actually get done.
Rehearse the hard conversations
Have AI play a skeptical interviewer or a tough negotiator so you can practice until the words stop feeling like marbles in your mouth. It won’t judge your awkward first attempt, and it definitely won’t bring it up at Thanksgiving.
Tell a better (true) story
Eventually someone will ask what happened. AI can help you frame it honestly and forward-looking: same facts, better lighting. Just keep it true. People can smell a LinkedIn fairy tale from a mile away.
The bottom line
AI can be confidently wrong, so double-check anything important, and don’t let it replace the friend who tells you to go outside. Sometimes you just need to be sad for a bit and eat cereal for dinner. That’s allowed.
Then use AI to get clear, get curious, and get moving. Your comeback doesn’t need to be dramatic. It just needs to start.