You have to see failure as the beginning and the middle, but never entertain it as an end. ~Jessica Herrin

How should we respond to a disappointment? How do successful people recover when goals are not met?

First and foremost; winners know that an unachieved goal doesn’t make them a failure.  The moment we don’t achieve our goal, we’re hit with a wave of negative emotions. We are depressed, disappointed, and tend to second-guess ourselves. To make matters worse, not making the goal usually happens in a public setting and the people around us watch us to see how we react.

Failure is Natural

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.  ~Samuel Beckett

While it’s not fun to experience, failure is a natural, instructive, and an unavoidable feature of life. As a result, wise people learn not to pin their self-worth on performance; rather, they possess an internal self-image that’s unaffected by outcomes. People who personalize failure see the failure as a reflection of their inadequacy. On the other hand, those who externalize failure understand its inevitability, and they look for the lessons it brings. One mindset wallows in the emotions of failure; the other works through them in anticipation of future triumphs.  How do you view your disappointments?

Remember Your Purpose

The heart of human excellence often begins to beat when you discover a pursuit that absorbs you, frees you, challenges you, or gives you a sense of meaning, joy, or passion  ~Terry Orlick

Successful people realize that even when a disappointment occurs, our true purpose remains.  Success is always knowing your purpose; growing to achieve the highest potential; and sowing seeds that benefit everyone. Notice that success is not defined by accomplishing the goal. Life is a journey rather than a destination. No matter how long you live or what you decide to do in life, you will never exhaust your capacity to grow toward your potential, nor will you run out of opportunities to help others. Your dreams may not come true, you may fail, but the purpose for which you were created always endures.

Revising Your Goals

If you can tune into your purpose and really align with it, setting goals so that your vision is an expression of that purpose, then life flows much more easily. ~ Jack Canfield

Successful people reflect on the purpose, because new goals can be birthed.  Goals are pictures of our purpose. Just as Van Gogh’s Starry Night points to a beauty beyond its brushstrokes, but can never fully capture the loveliness of the night sky, so a leader’s goals only hint at the richness and wonder of the purpose. When we have an unachievable goal, nothing is healthier than to re-examine our purpose. “Revision” literally means, “to see again.” Looking at our purpose will inspires us to revise our goals or to give birth to new ones.  Failure is a growth opportunity.

We need to understand that one of our greatest lessons to learn from the natural failures we will encounter is personal growth; we can revise our goals and move forward to success. This is how we show others, those we work for and those we manage how leaders handle failure and still rise up. 

As you become more aware and react differently to failure and disappointment you can adjust your mindset and the course of you life.  If you would like to receive more informative and mindful articles right into your mailbox fill this out now.

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