I frequently see people who feel like they’re failures. I’m often asked, “What do you say to people who think they’re failures?”. Now, this may seem counter-productive, but one of the first things I tell them is to embrace the failure.
What?
How can embracing failure turn it into success? The trick is in the way you learn to view failure.
“Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” ~ Winston Churchill
“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” ~ Michael Jordan
“Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely.” ~Henry Ford
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” ~ Thomas Edison
Few know how to embrace failure better than someone who has finally found success. That’s because successful people are the ones that learn from their mistakes and are inspired to try again and again until they get it right. When they look back on their lives, they understand that success is not possible without failure.
How do I turn failure into success?
If you’re feeling like a failure, reading inspirational quotes and memes can help make you feel like you’re not alone, but it doesn’t really solve your problem.
What you need to do is learn how to reframe the word failure. What do we associate with the word? Disappointment. Let down. Disaster or catastrophe. By changing the thought behind failure to something more along the lines of a lesson or feedback you can begin to establish the right attitude towards setbacks and use it as a springboard towards success. For example:
From ‘I failed because I didn’t get that promotion’ to ‘I didn’t get that promotion so I need to reassess for next time.’
When something hasn’t worked successfully, you can dig deeper and discover why it hasn’t been successful. In doing so, you will learn valuable lessons and receive valuable feedback for your efforts. You can then choose a different approach to your own challenge.
We CAN learn from failure
Looking at failure as feedback is one way to bounce back after being knocked down. It can help restore our self-belief and counter self-criticisms that make failure much harder to bear. But the question remains, is there really anything good that comes out of failing?
It builds humility.
Failure teaches us how to humbly appreciate every single victory or accomplishment as they come.
It builds opportunities.
Many people are afraid to step out of their comfort zone because they’re afraid to fail. So, they choose to narrow their lives by sticking to what they had been doing – to the known. However, taking risks is essential to achieving success.
By taking risks, you’re essentially stepping into the unknown, through uncertainty and untested territory, and this instantly makes you feel uncomfortable. By continually taking small steps into this new space, your mind will begin to grow. It learns that not every risk ends in misfortune. It takes courage to take risks and we can all develop greater strength by taking risks.
It builds courage.
The more we fail, the more courageous and resilient we become. Failure creates flexibility, a trait that instils the ability to deal with and bounce back from adversity, whether it relates to work, relationships, money, etc. Courage helps us survive life’s difficulties and increase our chances for success.
It builds wisdom.
Adversity helps you discover more about yourself, like strengths and weaknesses. It also helps you correct your mistakes. For instance, arriving late to work because you failed to catch the first bus teaches you to get up earlier. Failing to pass an exam teaches you to change your study method.
If you’re going through the process of moving on from failure, knowing these things will make you feel better. In life, people are rewarded and praised for their victory, however, we can learn just as much – if not more – from failure.
Here are some practical things you can do to boost your chances of success…
Set realistic goals for yourself
You can’t reach a goal without taking the steps necessary to reach it. Those smaller daily steps towards a goal are just as important as the goal itself. I can help you with goal-setting.
Take time to relax
Use meditation to relax and recharge your batteries. This will allow you to look at things from a different perspective and give your subconscious mind some time to process the challenge. Scientists often connect their Eureka! moments to time away from the lab.
Tell others
A great way to get a new perspective on your goals is to brainstorm ideas with others. Brainstorming is a tried and true technique that involves expressing ideas without filtering them, and can really help you out of a rut.
See the opportunity
Sometimes failure happens as a result of forces completely out of our control; a set-back can be just the opportunity you need to explore other avenues of success.
Success has much less to do with worldly achievements than how you feel inside. Take pride in failure: It means you’ve never stopped trying.
Remember, failure does not exist. You either win or you learn.
Richard Scott combines psychology, NLP and CBT with over 10 years’ professional, full-time experience in traditional and modern hypnosis to deliver the fastest, most successful results.
He specialises in stress and anxiety control, weight management, confidence and self-esteem, and empowering women.
If you need assistance at turning failures into successes, Richard can help you get motivated, get in contact for a free rapid change consultation.