Transforming Failures into Success

The Truth behind Failure

The HR is always hard working, talented, and committed as a team, yet people can easily fall prey to circumstances beyond their control and find themselves in the midst of a failure. In reality, the real tragedy of today’s business environment is not the opportunity lost because of the failure; rather, it is our response to those feelings of failure. Underneath the surface, there are three hidden emotions tied into our feelings of failure that we don’t typically talk about. They are fear, guilt, and discouragement. These emotions sabotage our long-term success because they rob us of our God-given talents, passion, and purpose. For example, fear immobilizes us in the present, guilt makes us look back at things we should have done or done differently in the past, and discouragement saps us of hope for the future. When fear, guilt, and discouragement gang up, they not only rob us of our strength to overcome adversity, but they also rob us of our destiny.
Transforming Failure into Success

Over the years, our culture has done us a great injustice. We’ve been taught that winning is everything and losing is to be avoided at all costs. As a result, we live a life desperate to avoid feelings of failure. The truth is that failure is a necessary component for our long-term success. These five principles will help you transform feelings of failure into motivations for success.

1 Failure knocks our ego down a notch
Often; our egos give us a false sense of power, which ultimately can cause our demise. When our ego gets too big, it’s easy to lose focus on what’s really important because we try to control those things we have no control over. Ken Blanchard, a well-known author, defines ego as “Edging God Out.” Failure has a tendency to knock our ego down. While this can be painful, it teaches us to let go of things beyond our control. We learn that the world doesn’t revolve around us. This is an important lesson because we come to understand that our work is about serving a purpose beyond ourselves. It’s at this point where we begin to relax. Because we’re no longer in control, purpose takes over where fear once resided, forgiveness overtakes our guilt, and hope replaces discouragement. How often does your ego prevent you from turning failure into success?

2 Short-term failure is a stepping-stone for long-term success
A common thread of all great leaders is their use of failure as a springboard to success. Rather than an obstacle, failures become stepping-stones for their personal growth. When we take the time to look, we find that every setback has a blessing in disguise. Just as success leaves clues, so does failure. The key is to look beyond the immediate feelings of failure and discover all the possibilities that await. How can you use failure to your advantage?

3 Failure gives us freedom
Too many people stay in situations they dislike simply because they’re afraid of failure. They prefer to stay inundated with urgent daily pressure because their fear of failure makes them work harder and harder. Often these people try to keep their grasp on the façade of being successful. What these people don’t realize is that failure actually gives them freedom. They now have the freedom to pursue other interests, to open a new business, to find a more fulfilling line of work, to secure a job with better hours or better pay, and even to design a life that offers a better balance between work and family. Before you dwell in the depths of failure, ask yourself, “How can my failure give me freedom?”

For Failure makes us grow stronger…
Whether we like it or not, failure is a part of life. The question is whether it makes us weaker or stronger. An insightful person once said, “Life is a grindstone; whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends on what you’re made of.” We can become victims of circumstance and let failure break us or we can grow in character and allow failure to shape us. Many times, it’s not the big failure that harms us; rather, it’s a series of small failures that wear us down and discourage us, which is the worst ill of all. Discouragement causes us to die a slow emotional death. It happens over time without our ever realizing it. It’s during times of failure that our character is developed. We need to have the courage to move forward with perseverance when we have no energy and want to give up. Instead of letting feelings of failure rob you of hope, ask yourself, “How can I persevere today?”

-Anshumali Saxena www.soilindia.net