Let’s face it, success is difficult and challenging, and highly likely, you’re not going to achieve your goals in the first attempt. Failure is normal. When you set a goal and expect a specific result, but if you don’t get it, you fail.
The problem most people face is not the failure because failure is an event, not a person. The problem comes when people think that they are the failure and they give up on their dreams and goals. So what should you do when you fail at your goals? Here are 5 things to consider:
1. Understand that failure is an independent event
First, you have to understand that failure is an independent event. If you fail now, it doesn’t mean that you are a failure or whatever you do in the future will fail too. It simply means that whatever you are doing right now does not work. And what you need to do then is to improve your method and try again.
Think about the baby who learns to walk. She will fall as she tries. But are you going to stop her from trying to
walk? No, not at all. In fact, you encourage her to walk. You even hold her
tiny hands and teach her the right method to stand steadily and balance her
steps.
However, adults do not think this way. We all hate failure and we don’t want to fail. When we try something and we fail, we label ourselves as a failure and we quit trying altogether.
Thus, never let this mindset stop you
from achieving your goals. Failure has nothing to do with you or what you want.
Your failure is just an independent event
that shows you what does not work. And you need to change or improve your
method.
2. Transform your failure to feedback and experience
Once you understand that failure is not going to stop you, what you need to do next is to turn your failure into feedback. Most people look at failure and think that failure is the opposite of success, which is a wrong perception.
Failure is not the opposite of success. In fact, failure is on the same side of success. Without failure, you can’t be successful. Like what Tony Robbins said:
“Success in life is the result of good judgment. Good judgment is usually the result of experience. Experience is usually the result of bad judgment.”
You need the experience to be successful. And most of the time, experience comes from mistakes and failures. So don’t be afraid to fail.
Whenever you do something and fail, don’t give up. Instead, choose to turn it into your experience so that you can grow higher and better. The next time when you are having a bad day or experiencing a failure, tell yourself that you are having a character-building day.
3. Ask yourself this question
Most people are not honest and they are afraid to ask this question – is what you do enough to make you successful?
Many people want to be successful. They want to drive an expensive car, achieve financial freedom, live in a big bungalow by the sea, travel first class, and enjoy life like there is no tomorrow. But the problem is that what they do cannot justify the results they get.
They want to earn a million dollar, but the work they put in is either not right or not enough to make them rich.
Hence, are your actions enough to get you the goals and the success you want? Be honest and ask yourself this question.
Your answer will reveal the secret whether what you do is in alignment with your goal. If you found that your actions cannot get you the result you want, change your action plan.
4. Learn from those who have done it
Whenever you fail to achieve your goals, here one thing you should do – learn from those who have done it. The reason is simple, someone has done it before and if you can learn his strategy, then you too can replicate his success.
It is like baking. When you follow the right recipe, you will almost be able to bake the cake just like the recipe shown. When you have the right recipe and ingredient, and you follow the exact steps, you too, can create similar results.
And this is exactly what you need to do. Learn from those who have done it. There are a lot of books, seminars, and workshops out there you can learn from. Even better, get a mentor to show you the way.
5. Do it again
Once you have learned the right method, what you need to do then is to do it again. You have to understand that you may need to fight a battle more than once to win it. A lot of people have the wrong perception and think that successful people are able to create an extraordinary result in just one shot.
It is wrong. In fact, successful people made many mistakes. But they did not give up. They choose to transform their mistakes and failures to experience. They learn, they improve, and more importantly, they are willing to do it again, and again, until they get it.
This is what you need to do too when you fail at your goals or whatever you are trying to achieve. Never give up and keep trying until you get the results you want.
Conclusion
Failure is normal and even necessary to your success. If you study the success stories of extraordinary people, you will see how they manage to turn their failures into stepping stones to success. With the 5 tips above, you too can manage your failure and bounce back higher.
Author: Shawn Lim
Want to discover the secrets to unleashing your potential and live a great and successful life? Follow Shawn Lim on his blog, StunningMotivation.com (http://StunningMotivation.com). You can also download his guidebook, Active Goal Setting and make your dreams a reality. Or simply follow him on Facebook. (https://www.facebook.com/stunningmotivation)386 - 386Shares
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