on March 20, 2018
How many of you have never failed at anything in your lives? Frankly, if you said “yes,” you’re not stretching yourself far enough. Everyone fails, especially those with bold, new ideas or those who are willing to take a few risks. It’s how you bounce back from failure that matters.
Think about the people who have truly made it big in this world—the inventors, the entrepreneurs, the change-makers. Not only have each and every one of them failed, some of them have failed spectacularly. For instance, Walt Disney’s “Laugh-O-Gram Studios” went bankrupt after only two years and he was told that “a giant mouse on the screen would terrify women.” I think we all know who got the last laugh there!
Thomas Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts before inventing the lightbulb. Oprah was told she was “too emotional” and not right for television. Stephen King was rejected by dozens of publishers before landing a contract.[1]
What do all of these iconic people have in common? They didn’t throw in the towel, give in, or give up.
When you think about your own life, how can you take more healthy risks and face potential failure? For instance, I always advocate for people to pursue their life purpose, and that alone might come with risks. If you’re chasing after your dream job, for example, you might face periods of unemployment or you may have a few unsuccessful interviews. How will you respond? Your dream (your purpose) is worth pursuing, so how will you reframe your job hunt and keep going?
Looking at risk and failure from another angle, you might make a bad investment every now and then. That rental property you purchased, for instance, might end up being a lemon.
Sure, maybe in the short-term, but if you think long-term, the property ends up looking more like an opportunity than a bad investment. Even if you do end up losing money from your investment, you can always view it as a learning experience—you’ll be much more savvy next time you purchase a rental property.
Failure can occur in everyday life as well. At times, you might feel that you’ve failed your significant other, your children, your co-workers, or yourself. Instead of dwelling on your setbacks, strategize on how to overcome them. Instead of allowing adversity to win, think about how you can gain a few small successes while you dig yourself out of failure.
Failure is, after all, a state of mind.
If you do not see your obstacles and setbacks as “failures,” they won’t seem so permanent. Instead, they will be reframed as challenges or opportunities for learning and growth. Remember, Apple has been declared a “dead company” on numerous occasions over the past forty years. What if the company believed these forecasts and folded up shop?
My hope is that you, too, will have this kind of unwavering belief in yourself. Don’t let failure keep you down. Dust yourself off and keep on going!