Do you like to fail? Would you like to fail? No way!
“The secret of life is to fall seven times and to get up eight times.” -Paulo Coelho.
Failure is another bitter truth of life. We need to accept it with open arms.
Nobody wants to fail. All of us want to win and achieve success, but most of the time, failure is what we receive. It is hard to swallow when you have done something that screwed up. There are many times when life can hit you with a brick on the head and make you fall, but that does not mean that you should fall and continue to stay there. You can always get back up again when life knocks you down.
Indeed, failure transcends you to sadness leading to depression but there is a positive side to it. Failure sometimes allows you to examine what worked or what did not even more so than success. It can foster your critical and analytical thinking skills, allowing you to innovate, redirect, and try another way to execute something the next time.
“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” —Dale Carnegie.
Each time you get back up, it will get easier and easier, and you will realize each time that those failures are the greatest lessons life will ever give you.
Few tips which can help you overcome failures:
- Failure draws out the best that is within us.
- Never feel that you are a failure.
- The pathway to success is paved with failures.
- In victory, let us be meek: and in failure let us not be depressed.
- Never use failure as an excuse for not trying again.
I would like to refer here to the example of Steve Jobs who was fired from the company that he started. But as a man of steel, he did not give up. He took failure in his stride. Instead, he used this experience to build up his character, and leadership and turned his struggles into strengths. Eventually, Jobs went back to Apple and transformed the company into one of the most valuable companies in the world. This is the stuff; stories are made of!
Similarly, take the case of Walt Disney.
He was fired by a company due to his “lack of imagination.” However, that did not deter his spirit to start his own company and build the Walt Disney theme park and Mickey Mouse into stardom. As you can see, if you want to make a comeback, you must learn how to manage your failures.
You must learn how to rise when life knocks you down.
Always remember this, life can knock you down seven times, but you can decide and get back up again for the eighth time.
Top tips for coping with failure
- Permit yourself to feel.
- Practice self-compassion.
- Reflect on the experience and adopt a growth mindset.
- Revisit your goals and create a plan.
To accept failure, you must learn to accept the truth.
You must be brave enough to face the “Moment of Truth.” No matter what you do, you must accept the truth that you have failed. You must take responsibility for what you did that ended up being where you are right now. You do not have to hide, ignore, or deny the fact that you have failed.
The faster you can accept the truth, the easier you can get out of it. Thus, accept that you have been knocked down. At the same time, understand that it is perfectly alright to fail. Failure is inevitable. If you are not getting enough failures, it means that you are not trying hard enough.
“It is impossible to live without failing at something unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default.” ― J.K. Rowling
As I mentioned earlier, some failures in life are inevitable. Many times, you can sense the outcome, but still, you go ahead with it. Likewise, you should develop the courage to face failure, when it happens. Hence, when life knocks you down, you can choose to either stay there or rise once more. If you want to make a comeback, you must learn how to manage your failures. Besides, you need to figure out what went wrong and then start again with a better version of yourself.
You must be wondering why I say that failure holds the key to success. Indeed, it is part and parcel of the road to success. Failure is life’s greatest teacher. It builds your character and humbles you. Failure is suspended success until the right moment, but in the meantime, you must work hard, think hard, and be consistent.
Success is the ability to go from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm. – Winston Churchill
