Failure is an Option

Let’s be real. Failure is always haunting us, circling overhead like a buzzard waiting for the prey to stumble. I have, like all of you, had my share of failures. Check these out, relationship, education, family, previous marriage, business, financial, hobby, and career and more I probably am not thinking of.

Where would you be without failure? Still in the womb! Friends, we need to fail from time to time to be able to expand our lives. If we did not fall when we learned to walk, how could we ever learn to run? Failure likes to pretend it is out of our control and there is nothing we can do about it. These are the times we must look to what our own accountability in the situation is or was. For me I can go through the list above and accept my part in the events and the lesson in all of my failures. It is the only way to truly move on from it and experience the success in waiting. Success cannot live simultaneously with failure. In order for us to get back on track and start creating success again we must nullify failures (fear) effects. I have listed six steps below to guide you through the process. It takes some work and time in most cases to work through some failure, so be prepared but keep moving to your next success.

1. Accept the situation is real, do not ignore it.
2. Accept your percentage of responsibility for the failure. This must happen to truly move on.
3. Show gratitude for the good in your life. There is always good in your life.
4. Believe deeply that this too, shall pass. Use it as an affirmation several times a day if needed.
5. Action cures fear, create a plan. Get advice, be open to suggestion, tackle issues, keep moving.
6. Plan for your next success, what good will come from this failure, what were the lessons I learned for my future? There is good and bad in failure. Give the power to the good!

What would have happened if Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, Bill Gates, Michael Dell, Dave Ramsey and millions of others would have given up after failing? They were only unique because they followed the steps, or something similar to the ones above. You can start training yourself now by practicing these on small failures that happen organically everyday in your life. Car won’t start, meeting starts late, deals do not get closed, etc. How do you react to these things? However you react is an indicator on how you will deal with a major failure in your life. Apply the six principles above and feel the difference when you do not give failure power. As leaders it is critical to set the tone when failures occur. How will people react to your reaction? It always comes down to you. At the end of the day it is our action or inaction that defines who we are.

I know my failures intimately. I can recite each one to you if you ask me to and there are people in my life who can tell you about them too. But I would also tell you about how I overcame them, and succeeded. It all starts with the principles listed above. Life is about happiness, and there is no room in happiness for failure to exist as a lifestyle.

For more information visit my resource page http://www.scottsadlercoach.com/resources.html for reading material on this topic. Every one of the books here addresses overcoming failure. You can also contact me direct with any questions by phone or email. 503-364-2575 or scott@scottsadlercoach.com