Failure is like an adventure in the success journey. It sharpens your experience, gives you a better perspective, and sometimes boosts your confidence. For some people, failure is the end of the road. But to other people, it’s just a hurdle that they will overcome in no time. In this article, you will learn about some of the helpful ways to manage failure.
Some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world today have experienced failure at some point in their lives. But they didn’t allow their setback to inhibit them from achieving their goals.
Bill Gates, for instance, hacked a school computer with his friend Allen, and he was banned. Later on, he co-founded Traf-O-Data (a company that read data from road traffic), but the first demo failed.
After Bill Gates spent two years at Harvard University, he dropped out to follow his dream.
But he didn’t allow these initial setbacks to discourage him. Instead, Bill Gates passionately chased his dream, and today, he’s one of the wealthiest people in the world. And so far, he has donated over $28 billion to charity.
Even Jeff Bezos experienced failure before he got to the top of the ladder. At the age of 4, he was adopted by a Cuban Immigrant.
Jeff Bezos started working in Mcdonald’s Cooking fries and Burgers at the age of 16. Math wasn’t his strength; he eventually realized that he wasn’t going to be a Physicist.
He created several businesses that failed before he finally started Amazon, making him the richest man on Earth.
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So, if you have been struggling with setbacks, here are 4 helpful ways to manage failure;
#1. Don’t Make it Personal
One of the best ways to manage failure is never to make it personal. Don’t associate it with yourself, and keep reminding yourself that it’s just minor hiccups.
Again, that you are yet to figure out how to solve a particular problem doesn’t make you a failure. It only means that you have not yet succeeded.
When you start making failure personal, it will affect your self-esteem and confidence.
Regardless of how many times you try, never allow your failure to define you. Always fight against all odds to achieve success.
Do you know how many times Abraham Lincoln failed before he became the President of the United States? 1, 2, or 3?????
At the age of 21, Abraham Lincoln’s first business failed. And he was defeated in a legislative race at the age of 22.
He failed again in business when he was 24 years, and he overcame his fiancée’s death at the age of 26.
Abraham Lincoln had a nervous breakdown at 27. But he didn’t give up. Instead, he ran for a congressional race again at the age of 34, and he lost.
When he was 45, Abraham Lincoln lost a senatorial race, and he failed to become a Vice President at the age of 47.
Abraham Lincoln also lost a senatorial race at the age of 49 before he was elected as the President of the United States at 52.
So, don’t take your success personally. Learn from Abraham Lincoln and keep on moving even when the going gets tough.
#2. Take Stock, Learn, and Adapt
I know failure can be discouraging and heartbreaking. But one of the ways to manage failure is to take a step back, analyze the situation, point out what happens, and adapt.
Feeling of anger, frustration, and regret can’t change the situation. Instead, pick yourself up and evaluate what happened.
Ask yourself why you didn’t get the expected result? Evaluate every possible option on the ground to see if there would have been a better option for you. Also, see if the failure was something you could have been able to prevent.
Once you gather these facts, learn your lesson, and apply them to the next project and the next, until you eventually get it right.
Thomas Edison for instanced failed 10,000 times while inventing the light bulb. He didn’t give; instead, he discovered 10,000 different ways not to invent the light bulb.
If you fail in any project, don’t be discouraged from trying again. Remind yourself that every failed attempt is a step closer to success.
#3. Stop Dwelling on Failure
One of the most helpful ways to manage failure is to move on and stop dwelling on it. When you spend too much time obsessing about failure, you may trap yourself in a serious emotional doom-loop that prevents you from moving forward.
Remind yourself that you can’t change the past. But you can shape the future. And the faster you take a positive step after a failure, the quicker you can move on.
#4. Stop Seeking Validation from Other People
One of the best ways to manage failure is to stop seeking people’s validation. Yes, your project has failed, then move on. You don’t owe anyone an explanation as to why you fail.
Don’t think about what other people will say. Ignore the side talks and move on with your life. Always remind yourself that having a minor setback doesn’t make you a failure. It only means you have not yet succeeded.
So, don’t bother yourself whether people still respect you or not. It doesn’t change anything. What you should do is to restrategize and try again.
These are some of the ways to manage failure. Try to implement them so that you can easily overcome the fear of failure.
