All right, so you failed with this attempt. So what? Now what are you going to do? While it might feel comfortable crawling under a rock and disappearing into obscurity, realize that this failure, whatever it might have been, just might be the catalyst for future successes. You can bounce back after failure; you just need the right perspective to turn failure into success.
Everyone fails occasionally, but successful people look at failure differently, and they use it to their advantage going forward. Rather than wallowing in self-pity and defeat, achievers find a way overcome previous setbacks.
Here is a list of 6 things that you can garner from a failure you might have had so that you can succeed next time around and turn failure into success:
1. Realize That Great People Have All Failed
I hesitate to say every person, but darn near every great person you know of has failed at some point. It is not the failure that defines them, it is the bouncing back and the perseverance. Chicken Soup for The Soul was turned down over 140 times before someone agreed to publish it. Today, total worldwide retail sales of Chicken Soup for the Soul-branded products have exceeded $2 billion. What if Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen gave up after one “No?” Or even after 139?
2. Failure Does Not Reflect Who You Are
Failure is only temporary, unless you allow it to be permanent. Having the right attitude to handle failure and moving beyond it is key. Any failure you might have does not define you. However, how you respond to it does reflect a lot about who you are.
3. Success is Born From Failure
Sometimes it is said that winning leads to more winning. There is clearly validity to this statement, as many epic sports dynasties have dominated over time, and some great businesses have been at the forefront of their industry for years. But to get to that point, most people had to navigate some level of failure along the way. This failure is what paves the road for success in many cases.
4. Employ Positive Self-Talk
How to do handle it when you fail? Do you beat yourself up with negative talk? If you fail and think (or even say), “I’m a failure,” that is when your confidence begins to erode. Employing positive self-talk will be a game-changer for anyone going forward after a setback.
5. Lean On Your Previous Successes
If your confidence has taken a hit in the wake of a failure, take some time to reflect on past successes. It is easy to remember whatever awful thing has happened most recently, and judge too harshly. Sometimes taking a few minutes to sit down and write out all of the successes you have had can bring some perspective. In reality, you are able to shift a positive to a negative.
6. Fail Forward
Failing happens to us all, so don’t be afraid or ashamed of it. Some of the greatest breakthroughs have come on the heels of the biggest breakdowns. The amazing Lisa Nichols once told me, “If you are going to fail, that’s ok, just fail forward.“
Susan Sly is a best selling author, work life balance expert, speaker and entrepreneur. She has appeared on CNN, CNBC, Fox, Lifetime Television and the CBN. Susan is the mother of five children and resides in Scottsdale, Arizona.
