Steps to a Better Me: Dealing with the F-Word: Failure
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Today, we’re motivated and encouraged to reframe the word failure into something more cushiony, such as setback, learning experience and teachable moment. At times we are even encouraged to avoid the word failure, altogether; while, these practices prove useful, do know that, it’s also okay to face failure head-on and call it as it is.
Businesses fail, projects fail, we fail at being great friends, partners and parents. Some things just fail, but in their hit song Collide, it was Howie Day that sang, “even the best fall down sometimes,” so how do we deal with that dreaded word, failure, when it pays us a surprise visit? How do we face it head on?
… how do we deal with that dreaded word, failure, when it pays us a surprise visit?
Know that you’re not alone
Failing is a part of life. Even the most elite, amongst us, fail. Thomas Edison, Usain Bolt, Oprah and others have experienced their fair share of failures.
One of the most well-known stories is that of Steve Jobs, who was fired from Apple, the company he co-founded, to then make a comeback as it’s interim CEO, years later, and then becoming the CEO, taking the company into the most success it had ever experienced.
What are the lessons?
Moments of failure are just that, a moment, and when it comes, it gifts us with valuable details that we may not have been privy to before. It’s in the implementation of our improvement that this feedback becomes valuable, furnishing us with the ability to holistically look at every step, with deep analysis.
To reference our earlier mention of Steve Jobs, in his 2005 commencement speech, to Stanford graduates, stated, “getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me.”
With this said, know that the lesson may not be immediate so be sure to keep an open mind.
Try to prepare for it
As much as we hype ourselves and the motivational speakers scream at us that failure is not an option, it will be naive to think that it’s not a possibility. The goal here is not to easily or readily accept defeat but to ensure that we remain aware of its existence, because, by its very nature, awareness is empowering.
Empowerment to tailor expectations; strengthen the emotional and mental state; mitigate possible effects; and bolster resilience. Coming to terms with the possibility of a fail, may become an alternative way to prepare for success.
By its very nature, awareness is empowering
Reach out for help
On the way to being better, we need to adopt the ability to invite help from those, who may be best suited to provide it. This is where your reach, network and available resources, come into play. Reach out to persons who have already done what you want to do. For extra measure, it can be from persons who have succeeded as well as those who didn’t succeed.
You may also like this article: How to Lose Like a Winner
Be selective with the advice you follow but keep in mind that the insight, gained, can allow you to learn from their story. Information will always be your ally and the more diverse it is, the better equipped you are, to navigate a comeback. For further support, reach out to mentors, friends, and life coaches.
Even the best fall down sometimes.
Finally, in doing life, there are going to be very few times where we achieve perfection. Hence why, it’s necessary to maintain flexibility in our expectations so that we are well equipped for an eventual moment of failure. Look for the lessons in it; try to prepare, to the best of your abilities; reach out for help, when necessary; and remember that even the best fall down, sometimes.
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