You Failed, so what, don't be a Failure

Have you ever failed at something really important or vital?  Of course, what a ridiculous question.  How did you respond though?  

Everyone fails in life.  Some people more than others.  Some fail by doing the same thing over and over.  Pure insanity.  Some fail by trying to achieve a goal or result, they don't get what they want, and then they commit the ultimate failure - they never try again.  Others fail simply by never putting themselves out there.

For the sake of space, let's forget those who never put themselves out there.  That's just pure loser mentality.  Let's deal with how to handle failures.

What separates the successful in life from everyone else, in regards to failure, is to view and approach failure differently.  First, don't view failure like everyone else.  See the results you’re getting for what they are, and accept them as just that.  Don't see them worse than they are.  The result is just some form of outcome.

What can you learn from your result, and how can you change your approach to get a different result - preferably the one you're after?  It's about measuring and managing the process.  You must think of it this way.  

Next, you absolutely must learn to love failure.  Nothing in life is easy or free, and everything worthwhile requires effort and sacrifice.  I don't know a single successful person who doesn't fail over and over.  They step up though, and respond.  They welcome the failures, because they know that right around the corner lays their next greatest successes.

The legendary basketball player, Michael Jordan, said it best, "I fail over and over again, and that is why I succeed".  Words to live by.  It's not about looking for failure, it's about accepting it for what it is, learning from it, and changing your approach when it happens.

There's one more element to dealing with failure, and probably the most critical - the emotional element.  Rather than go on-and-on, let's get right to the strategies to prepare you.  Here are 5 simply ways to prepare yourself emotionally for dealing with failure:

1. Start each and every day reading something positive and uplifting.  You must set your mind up in a positive way each and every day.
2. Get the heck away from negative people.  Toss them, expunge them, fire them, do whatever you have to, but get them out of your life and as far away as possible.  
3. Surround yourself with positive upbeat goal driven leaders.
4. And while we're on the topic of goals, review yours regularly.  If you don't have any, now is the perfect time to create some
5. Create a list of your last three failures.  Then write down absolutely everything you can do differently to achieve what you were originally after.  No you have a plan.  Go do it.

Look, you failed in life at some things.  So what, who cares.  The only person in the world, who should matter to you, is you when it comes to your success.  Don't be a failure.  Welcome it when it happens, then step up and take some responsibility and action.  Go after what you want.  You failed - so what - don't be a failure!  It's your choice.