Moving Beyond Failure
Have you ever created a budget at the beginning of a pay period only to watch the whole plan go array? What about completing a project that did not meet your expectations. In some cases, it may have even been an utter failure.
What do you do when this happens? How do you move on?
Difference between Failure and Defeat
Defeat signals the end, whether it arises from you throwing the towel in the ring to surrender or being knockout by one of life’s deadly punches. On the other hand, failure is not the end; it’s a bump in the road or an unexpected detour. It is unrealistic not to experience failure. Nothing in life ever goes exactly according to plan, which is okay.
It’s imperative not to internalize the failures of our past. Yes, we all make mistakes, but we do not have to allow them to define us. Rather than allowing life to come to our doorstep, it is far more beneficial to go out and cultivate the life we desire.
Most battles are fought in the mind over the desire of your heart. The ability to not stop trying is your biggest ally in escaping the pains of defeat. Today’s failure can cause you the victory tomorrow if you pay attention and learn from your mistakes.
Don’t get stuck
It’s easy to get stuck in the quicksand of our thoughts. What ifs and I wish become the soundtrack of a once hopeful heart. When we become fixated on what could have been, our vision for the future begins to diminish.
Everything is not black and white. Just because something did not go according to plan doesn’t mean the entire process was an epic failure. Experience is a great teacher only if we pay attention.
Focusing on the positive is not enough to simply move on. Ignoring a problem doesn’t make it magically go away. Instead, it grows roots in our subconscious. Fear and doubt show up in our dreams and dominate our thoughts.
What you need is a change of perspective.
A new perspective can open our eyes to see what we could not before. It’s not about looking at the situation through rose-tinted glasses; it’s about accepting that what has happened, really happened and that you can do nothing to change it.
The only thing you can control is your reaction. You can either dwell on the negative or learn from the situation and move forward. The choice is yours.
You have to be willing to walk away from the past to create a new future.
Here’s how to move on quickly
First, accepting what happened, there is no sense in denying the reality you are experiencing. Allow yourself the opportunity to feel and process what happened. Look at the situation from multiple angles to help yourself understand your predicament.
Next, take responsibility for the role you played. Blaming others and everything that is not in your control is a sure way to repeat the same mistakes. You are not a victim, complaining may soothe your ego for a moment but will leave a sour taste of ungratefulness in your mouth.
After you have done this, extract lessons you can apply later on. This is an excellent way to have peace of mind knowing that you will not make the same mistakes twice.
Lastly, make a decision to move on. Acceptance and responsibility are not enough; you must take action towards change. Acknowledge that things happen; however, it’s up to you to determine how the story ends.
“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending” — Maria Robinson.
Take the first step now!
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