How to Overcome Failure

If there’s one thing that’s inevitable, for everyone, it’s that we’re going to fail. Once you accept that failure, at some point, is going to happen to you, it becomes a bit less scary. Being the highest level of over-thinker out there though, I understand how failure can really get under your skin. Sometimes, it’s hard to get past. So, how do we overcome failure?

As I always mention, what works for me may not be right for you. When I create these posts, I keep that in mind, offering a range of strategies. Here are some incredibly helpful tips to overcome failure:

1. Change the Words you use to describe “failure.” 

Instead of referring to failure with that exact term, change up your terminology. It’s my opinion that words are very powerful, so learn to use them in a way that makes them that much more powerful. A lot of times, we look as failure as a brick wall – a stopping point. It doesn’t have to be. Replace failure with words like: setback, mistake, lesson, misstep. View failure as something inevitable, that we’ll all experience and give it no more power than that.

Through changing the terminology associated with failure, it can become less intimidating.

2. Make it a learning experience.

From failures and setbacks, excellent lessons can be learned. This has a lot to do with mindset. Instead of dwelling on the failure itself, focus on what you can learn from it. Did you use an inappropriate strategy? Are there steps you could’ve taken to change the outcome?

Write it out. What went wrong? What did you learn? Did this “failure” teach you anything about yourself?

3. “Failure is inevitable.” 

I learned this strategy from a Buddhist philosophy that will always stick with me: “Suffering is inevitable.”

That quote got me through a lot of really tough times. Reassure yourself that failure is inevitable. Once you know it’s something you’re going to face, you can mentally prepare for it. This will help you better cope.

Don’t look at failure as that brick wall that halts everything. It’s an inevitable occurrence in all of our lives. Once you accept that, it’s much easier to overcome failure.

4. Take steps to boost your self-esteem.

Perpetually dwelling on failure could be linked to low self-esteem. While this isn’t always the case, boosting your self esteem will help you in many areas of your life. See the post below with tips on building self confidence, AKA self esteem.

17 Steps to Build Self Confidence

5. Be personally accountable.

So, we all know someone who blames their issues on everyone else. Don’t be this way! It will literally get you nowhere. YOU are the only one in total control of YOUR own life. Blaming circumstances and others for YOUR failures will only do harm.

6. One circumstance does not define you as a person.

I see people all the time defining themselves in a single category. As humans, we are complex and there is no single word or single circumstance that can be used to describe us as a whole.

One mistake or one failure certainly DOES NOT define us.

7. Seek support

Look to someone you’re close to for support. Of course, a failure can feel terrible. Seek support from someone who cares for you. Often times, we just need to hear “everything will be okay”, from someone we trust.

Talk about your recent failure with someone close to you. Through these types of conversations, we can often see where we may have went wrong and what we can do in the future to not fail.

Remember, we all need support 🙂

8. Take steps to move forward.

The most important step we need to take after a failure, is an action plan to move forward. Decide if you want to try again, (regarding whatever you failed at), using a different approach. If so, you need to outline an action plan to do so.

Remember, persistence is key in larger goals 🙂

However, if you feel that you will not be successful in a second attempt, you need to decide what your next move is going to be. What will you pursue next? Write out an action plan!

Don’t let a single failure get you down!

I’ll say it one more time: failure is inevitable, for all of us. It’s not really about the failure itself, it about how we react to it! Learn to be in control of your emotions. Take failure as a lesson and do not let it discourage you!

Make each failure a learning experience and motivate yourself to get back up after you fail!