10 Guidelines To Change Failure From Detour To Dividend

The difference between greatness and mediocrity is how an individual views mistakes. Successful people have the ability to fail, and are motivated by their mistakes as a reason to try something new to get better. Unsuccessful people view failures as proof that they were never deserving of the success in the first place. As the cliche goes, “Life is 5% what happens to you, and 95% how you handle it.” This post is about the 95%. 

10 Guidelines To Change Failure From Detour To Dividend:

1.) Appreciate the value of failure - train yourself to view failure as mileage markers on the road to your potential

“You are never so close to victory as when you are defeated in a good cause.”

In the book “The Motivation Myth,” the author talks about what where motivation really comes from - Successful people CHOOSE to view failures as clues to where their gaps exist and get excited about the work of improvement. As the quote above suggests, you’ll never appreciate the mountain tops unless you have the valleys too as a reference point. Nothing grows on a mountaintop. It grows in the valley. 

2.) Don’t take failure personally - there is a big difference between “I have failed” and “I am a failure.” Making mistakes is like breathing. It’s something you’ll keep doing as long as you are alive. 

This principle basically describes the difference between a Fixed mindset and a Growth mindset. I highly recommend the book Mindset by Carol Dweck to explore this more deeply.

3.) Let failure re-direct you 

Failures are nothing more but puzzle pieces in the overall picture, and the more quickly you uncover them the sooner you can put the whole puzzle together!

4.) Keep a sense of humor

Life is hard enough as it is, and if we’re created in God’s image then that means he created humor - and for a good reason. God + You can do anything, so relax and learn to laugh at your mistakes!

5.) Ask why, not who - Don’t blame others; look at the situation objectively. People who blame others for their failures never overcome them.

Here is a list of questions to analyze your failures:

a.) What lessons have I learned?

b.) Am I grateful for this experience?

c.) How can I turn the failure into success?

d.) Who else has failed in this way before, and how can that person help me?

e.) How can my experience help others someday to keep from failing?

f.) Did I actually fail, or did I fall short of an unrealistically high expectation?

g.) Where did I succeed as well as fail?

6.) Make failure a learning experience

A failure is only a waste of time if you don’t take the time to reflect on the lesson to be gained. 

7.) Use failure as a gauge for growth - I’d rather reach 90% of my potential with plenty of mistakes than 10% of my potential with a perfect score. 

Life is about either progressing or regressing, there’s no such as “standing still.” If you’re standing still, you’re going backwards. But as long as you’re moving forward after each mistake, you CAN’T lose because you will either continue growing through your mistakes - or experience victories that keep you going. Win-win. 

8.) See the big picture - don’t view life like a ‘snapshot’ during a down time or moment. Life isn’t a snapshot, it’s a moving picture. Failure is never final.

Failing is not failure until you give up. The only true failure is quitting on your purpose and vision for your life.

9.) Don’t give up - “History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed.” B.C. Forbes

The price of success is perseverance - The most successful people are not the most talented.

As Calvin Coolidge once said,

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. ... Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

10.) Don’t let failure keep you down - “The fact that you have been knocked down is interesting, but the length of time you are down is important.” 

Don’t be down. Either be up, or getting up. Also, don’t beat yourself up for resting and recovering between certain failures. Don’t miss the opportunity to reflect.