If you're like me, then you probably have a hard time coping with small failures like losing board games or finishing a race in last place. Just the thought of not reaching a goal of mine doesn't sit well with me. Of course having this mentality molded me into the hard-working, passionate person I am today. I thought that anyone could achieve success just by how hard they worked.
Recently, I was in a place where I did experience failure. Realizing that I was not able to complete my goal was heart shattering. Although I dedicated my time and effort, I still failed. How? At that time, I felt like I hit rock bottom.
I found it very easy to give up. I was angry and miserable. I felt that I wouldn't amount to anything in life. I was also very quick to make excuses as to why I was a failure. "It's so-and-so's fault" was my go-to response when someone asked me why. I would blame others for something only I had control over. It wasn't until I realized that I had two choices: drown in my own sadness and anger or become stronger and smarter. This is what I learned since failing.
Don't give up. It took me a long time to realize that giving up was the easiest option I had and, for a while, I believed it was my only option. I soon learned that giving up is not an option for anyone who is determined. Failing is a useful tool for learning. We must use our failures as a tool to grow and persevere.
Ask for help. Because I enjoy working independently, I rarely ask for help. This is one flaw out of many that I possess. Seek out someone who was previously in the position you are currently in. This person should be your role model. Find someone you can directly talk to and seek advice from them. Learn from them. Ask them how they got to the place they are now. They know how to guide you in the right direction because they know what it took to get them there. They will help you get to the place you want to be.
It's OK to start all over again. When I failed, I was too ashamed to start over again. This prompted me to give up very fast. I had too much pride to start from the beginning again, but after some deep thinking I decided that it was my only choice. I did not want to give up my dreams because of this failure, so I decided to go back to my starting point and try again.
You will grow from this. It took me awhile to learn that the person I am right now is not the person I am going to be for the rest of my life. We all grow on this journey called life. We all have the capability to become better people after our failures. Never feel like you are stuck in this position forever
It's not the end of the world. Failing is a part of life. Your mom, your grandfather, your neighbor, heck even your dog has failed at least once in their life. Everyone has grown and learned from their own failures. It was reassuring for me to know that everyone has gone through failure at least once in their life. We all go through it and overcome the obstacles.
No matter how difficult it might be to pick yourself up from your failure, just understand that everyone goes through some sort of low point in their life.
"Failure is the opportunity to begin more intelligently." -- Henry Ford
