Failure: The Brightest Use It To Their Advantage

The fear of failure. It is a disease that cripples otherwise successful people and destroys innovation, creativity and growth. That fear can also permeate an organization to the core. Failure elicits feelings such as disappointment, anger, frustration, sadness, regret, and confusion that, while unpleasant, are usually not sufficient to trigger a full-blown fear of failure. Essentially, a fear of failure is a fear of shame. People who have a fear of failure are motivated to avoid failing not because they cannot manage the basic emotions of disappointment, anger, and frustration that accompany such experiences but because failing also makes them feel deep shame.

Failure Can Ignite Success

The brightest and most successful people understand that failure is part of the cycle of success. It is said that if you never fail, then you are not trying! That is a profound statement. People who understand this concept move forward with a strong focus and determination. They are not phased at the potential of failure. Failures will occur in every endeavor and the real lesson is what is learned from these failures. Those lessons make you stronger, brighter and more confident. Here are some tips to deal with failure and move forward:

– Own Your Mistakes – Don’t stick your head in the sand and hope it goes away. Own it…admit it…move on!
– Explain Yourself – Own your mistake and say why it happened. Don’t make excuses or blame others. State it simply.
– Offer a Solution – Don’t let someone else clean up your mess. Offer a solution to get things back on track.
– Learn from the Mistake – Make a plan to show it won’t happen again in the future. This shows that you are learning the lesson.
– Get Back To It – So many let the failure cripple them. Learn the lesson and get right back in the game.
– Understanding the Why – Understanding why the failure is crucial. It is always about an action you took. It is never because you lack intelligence, you’re lazy or some other personal weakness.
– Be Optimistic – Failure is NOT permanent. This too shall pass on — success is in your future. Believe it!
– Never Quit – Persistence counts. It will bring you to the top while others fail.

“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”

 – Robert F. Kennedy