Ways to think to see failure as a step not a disaster

Why does failure cause some people to give up on their dreams while others bounce back even better than before? It has to do with the way they think about failure. Failure can be part of the long road to success—but only if you think about it in a way that’s productive

Beating yourself up for your lack of success or declaring yourself a hopeless cause leads to unhelpful feelings, like shame or resentment. And it can lead to unproductive behavior, like staying inside your comfort zone.

The key to recovering from failure is changing the way you think..Check out some thinking paths that could help you when you fail

1. “Even though things didn’t work out the way I wanted, I’m still OK.”

Catastrophizing failure isn’t helpful. Keep failure in proper perspective and choose to be grateful for what you have. Whether you still have your health or you have a roof over your head, there are always things to be grateful for.

2. “Failure is proof I’m pushing myself to my limits.”

You could probably live a safe and boring life that is relatively free of failure if you wanted. But, if you want to become a better version of yourself, you’re going to need to do things that could cause you to fail. Falling down is evidence that you’re trying to do something hard

3. “Failing feels uncomfortable, but I can handle it.”

Doubting your ability to handle embarrassment, shame, or regret makes the pain of failure last longer.  Remind yourself that you can handle failure, and you’ll be more likely to deal with the discomfort in a productive manner

4. “Failure is a verb, not a noun.”

Just because you fail doesn’t mean you’re a failure. Everyone succeeds at some things and not at others. Remind yourself of the success that you have had in other areas of your life

5. “I’ve overcome tough things before. I can do it again.”

Recalling on the times when you’ve rebounded before can help you feel equipped to deal with failure again. Draw upon the knowledge, tools, and talents you’ve used before and remind yourself that you can bounce back again.

To read more about how to think when you fail, click here

SOURCE: FORBES