Key to success is failing first
When working to achieve your goals, there’s a good chance that you’re going to fail at least once. It might only be a minor setback or you might see your carefully laid plans collapse in a heap. But don’t get discouraged – it’s important to understand the realities of making a change and what perceived failure actually means for you. In the words of American motivational speaker Denis Waitley, “failure is only a temporary change in direction to set you straight for your next success.”
The first thing to accept is that failure is largely inevitable. It’s incredibly rare for anyone’s plans to be 100 per cent successful from the get go, especially when they are trying something new. Understand that failure doesn’t mean that all is lost. It means you’ve suffered a temporary setback and will need to re-evaluate your plans. It can be a reminder that you need to stay flexible in your approach and be prepared to roll with the punches.
Once you’ve accepted that failure, in some form, is going to happen, you can start to look at it as a helpful tool. Temporary failures teach you valuable lessons, strengthen your resolve and shift your perspective. They encourage you to take a different approach, think outside the box or challenge yourself. Failing also teaches you about yourself and presents new opportunities for self-discovery. You can learn how important this goal is to you, how resilient you are and how hard you are prepared to work.
It’s also important to look at the possibility of relapses while working towards your goal. These are a different kind of ‘”ailure,” ones that don’t necessarily derail your entire project but will set you back a few steps. These are most common when your goal is to rid yourself of a bad habit, such as drinking, smoking or overeating. Once again, think of these relapses as opportunities to learn, refine your plan and grow. Studies show that people who successfully quite smoking have generally tried to quit seven to 10 times before. Each failure brings them a little closer to success.
Your reaction to failure is what will ultimately determine whether you reach your final goal. Remember that failure is an event and not you as a person. Just because you have failed does not mean that you are a failure. Acknowledge it and look for ways to move on. Learn from the experience, make changes to the plan and find the new opportunities that it presents. Above all, don’t panic. Everyone from Walt Disney to Oprah Winfrey and Stephen Spielberg suffered setbacks and rejection on their way to the top. You’re in good company.
Related links:
10 signs you’re too self-critical
Why we should let go of the pursuit of perfect