Success

If At First You Don’t Succeed… How Successful People Handle Failure

By December 17, 2018 No Comments

Successful-people

Let’s admit it. We all make mistakes.

In fact, most of us have probably made numerous mistakes, which, in retrospect, doesn’t particularly feel like the wisest of choices.

However, failure is a big part of life, and at some level, we understand that it’s what helps us grow intellectually. We still hate to fail—we fear it and dread it. We end up giving our failures the power to control our thoughts and emotions. This is perhaps the biggest thing that holds us back from success and seizing future opportunities.

The most successful people aren’t those who never fail. More often than not, they are not handed the best opportunities. The most successful people are often those who learn how to handle their failures.

Here are a few tips to start taking control of your life and embarking on the path to inevitable success.

Don’t Take It Personally

The definition of failure is not set in stone. In fact, it’s not even the one true representation of who you are as a person!

Approach failure analytically and curiously. Ponder why things didn’t work out. Assess what can be changed next time to derive a different result. Identify the things that lie beyond your control. After gathering all of this information, take a step back from the situation and think about what lessons can be learned from the failure.

Learn From Criticism

Some of the greatest bestselling authors, filmmakers, and artists often faced constant rejections and criticisms.

John Grisham, the author of the novel The Firm, was rejected by 28 authors. J.K. Rowling, the author of the world-famous Harry Potter series, sent her manuscript to 12 publishers before she eventually got a confirmation from Bloomsbury.

The lesson to take from these inspirational stories is that success lies in constantly plying your craft and working toward improving yourself as well as your ideas and strategies.

Try A New Point of View

The reason why failure tends to get to the best of us is that we’re not taught how to approach failure.

One of the best things you can do to overcome it is to try to shift your point of view from the negative and unhelpful to a more helpful and productive one. Instead of repeating an inner monologue reinforcing feelings of worthlessness and incapability, interrupt the thoughts as they come to you.

Tell yourself, “You know what? I’m smarter and more prepared to handle this situation better because I now know what not to do!”

Want to overcome your failures to be more successful?

Navigate personal and professional challenges better with Bill Wooditch, bestselling author of the book Always Forward! As a business and motivational speaker, Bill Wooditch uses his presentations and speaker sessions to help audiences worldwide achieve the results that guarantee success.

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