There is nothing pretty about failure.

It’s never fun and it can sometimes feel devastating.

Yet, we all do it.

Of course, we don’t intend to fail, but at some point in our lives, we all face failure and disappointment.

It’s just part of the beautiful puzzle called life.

Failure actually makes us stronger and better.

If we never failed, we could never get up after a fall. If we never rose out of the mud, the dirt or the ashes of failure, we would not have the experience of growing in our confidence as we try again, carefully rebuilding our approach and starting over.

Trying again, starting over, or just doing something perfectly brand new next time is where the real jewels lie. We must rise from our mistakes, learn from them, and do better next time.

Here are 4 tips to remember when getting back up after a fall:

Set aside some time to be disappointed. It’s OK to be sad, angry, or any other emotion you may feel. Don’t ignore these emotions. Maybe you need to sulk for an afternoon, or spend some quiet time alone for an entire day. Don’t keep your emotions bottled up and pretend like everything is fine.

Know the mistake was simply a lesson—it wasn’t you. You are not your mistakes. You are also not your successes. Your identity is your soul, the very one and only you. You are a gift and no amount of success or failure can define who you are.

Remember that we all fail. Thomas Edison failed more than 10,000 times before he made the electric light. Do not be discouraged if you fail a few times. Nobody is successful without taking risks and dealing with some form of failure. Most of us have failed many times. It’s how we get back up that matters most.

Start again. Once you’ve given yourself time to live with your emotions after a failed attempt, try again. The best way to boost your confidence and overall emotional state is to simply start a new project. This could be the same type of project, but with a new twist, or something brand new altogether. Getting back up, brushing off the dust and starting fresh brings with it new energy and excitement.

Failure is inevitable. Failure hurts and can be downright humiliating. However, if you give yourself the chance to get back up, with renewed energy and determination, you will actually be stronger and better off than you were before the failure.

You can live with determination and resilience, despite any past mistake or failures. You are strong, capable, and always able to rise again.

Cheers!

Coach Brett Blair

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