They say that if you fail it is best to learn from your failure and move on. However for many people failure can eat away at confidence and cast doubt on ability. Failure is a part of life and is one of those “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” kind of things. Here are a few things to try the next time you fail to help keep you focused on your goals:

• Learn: This is the most important aspect of failure. Learning from your mistakes is life 101. You have to take the time to look at what occurred and see where you think things went well and where things fell apart. This way you can apply your knowledge to do better next time around.

 

• One Step Closer: Failure should be viewed as a step closer to success. As we work and make mistakes we then can look at the learning process as something that brings us closer to our goals. Partly because of the lessons it teaches us.

 

• Brush Yourself Off: Don’t wallow. This is the worst thing you can do. Make an effort to look at the bright side and keep moving forward. When you make the mistake of getting caught up in the negativity of the event you will begin to become more negative yourself.

 

• Stay Positive: People who fail and then continue to get down on themselves and the world tend to stay down. The best thing to do is to stay positive and determined that things will get better. The minute you start believing things will get worse, is the minute they will.

 

• Review Your Goals: Don’t let failure allow you to lose focus. Take advantage of the failure to remind yourself of your goals. When you stay focused on your goals you will be able to meet them.

 

• Stay Confident: Confidence should be something you feel everyday, regardless of how your day is going. Facing the world everyday with a “can do” attitude is what helps you do well. Poor self-esteem is often something others pick up on and can lead to people losing faith in your abilities. Believing you can do something is a huge part of your own success.

Just remember failure is only complete failure when you allow it to keep you from your goals.

“I’ve failed over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed”

– Michael Jordan

Doug Dvorak is a motivational keynote speaker who can motivate using humor and insight for conferences, events and seminars. Visit www.dougdvorak.com for more information.