Setback? Good. Now we know where to start.

7 Steps to Turn Setbacks into Comebacks is a practical playbook for ambitious people who’ve hit a wall – missed targets, failed exams, stalled careers, or painful personal hits – and want to come back stronger and smarter, not just “positive.”

Executive mentor and research-translator Morgan Hale doesn’t offer hype or hollow affirmations. Instead, you’ll get a clear, step-by-step system that turns any hit into a concrete plan using three core dials:

• Clarity – See what really happened and choose a North Star that matters.
• Capacity – Stabilize your baseline, rebuild confidence with evidence, and upgrade your skills.
• Cadence – Design rhythms (not heroic sprints) you can keep under real-world pressure.

Inside, you’ll learn how to:

• Run a calm, facts-only snapshot of any setback so you don’t spiral or self-blame.
• Use the Comeback Canvas to map your North Star, Smallest Viable Next Attempt (SVNA), levers, and feedback on one page.
• Shrink your goals into tight 72-hour SVNAs that generate fast learning instead of long, vague waits.
• Audit your time, skills, and support so you’re not trying to relaunch on fumes.
• Rebuild belief with a simple Win Ledger – proof, not pep talk.
• Use 90/9 focus blocks, micro-resets, and finish-line rituals to create sustainable momentum.
• Turn each attempt into a better one with 10-minute debriefs, 15-minute drills, and clean feedback loops.

Every chapter follows a predictable structure: a clear idea, a named framework, a step-by-step playbook, real-world examples, common pitfalls, and a concrete 24–48 hour checkpoint so you always know what to do next.

This book is for you if you’re:

• Under real pressure at work and can’t afford a long, vague “reset.”
• Retaking an exam, rebuilding after a layoff, or repairing a damaged reputation.
• Tired of being told to “just be resilient” with no operational plan.

You don’t need to believe in yourself perfectly to start. You just need a system you can run on your worst days, not just your best ones.

Open the book. Build your first Comeback Canvas. Ship one SVNA in the next 72 hours.

Your setback is data. Your comeback can be by design.