Failure is a part of growing as a person, but that doesn’t mean it is a difficult thing to go through. Disappointment and failure can either limit us or drive us, but it is up to you to make that decision. You cannot avoid either disappointment or failure in life, but you can correct course. Success in life is about self-adjustment. The best way to overcome these feelings is to take pen and paper to it. It gives us a more objective view and the space and ability to process and work through it.
Here are five steps to get out of failure and get back on course.
1. Negotiable
Is it negotiable? If you want something in life you need to make it non-negotiable. The minute you make something non-negotiable, the excuses start. By making in non-negotiable you are holding yourself accountable, which is the first step.
2. Indicators
Indicators are where and how you are getting caught up in disappointment and failure. You may take on a certain form of self-talk or a specific tone. This step is really about determining what gets you caught up in those weeds of disappointment and failure.
3. Triggers
What triggers this cycle of disappointment and failure? Triggers could be something like a slow period, rejection or getting caught up in a frustration overwhelm because it doesn’t seem like you are moving forward. Triggers are like driving on an icy road – if we know the ice is there, we anticipate how to drive safely. If you know your triggers, you can always move forward.
4. Pattern Interrupt
The most important part of this five step method is pattern interrupt. When you say you are going to do something, but you don’t change, you are keeping up with this negative pattern. You need to interrupt that pattern to move forward. Whether you say it out loud, do it through a journal or have an accountability buddy, you need to hold yourself accountable. Draw a hard line in the sand and know that you need to fix the issue.
5. Take Action
What actions do you need to get back on track? You don’t want actions like “I will work harder”, you need specific and measurable goals to prove to yourself that you are making progress. You need actions that are going to keep you on track.
No one likes to fail, but if you aren’t failing you aren’t trying hard enough.
For more motivation, guidance, accountability and dedication to help you on your path to goal achievement, book a free coaching session with Joe White. It might well be the first action you need to properly set your wheels in motion and help you move forward.