Failure is part of our everyday lives. There are all kinds of failures and in varying degrees of intensity, and yet somehow we fear it and do not even acknowledge some of the ‘smaller’ ones, even though we have seen ourselves overcome a few throughout our own lifespan.
For entrepreneurs, failure is a part of the process too. It always takes a few attempts and some failed trial and runs before something new or innovative happens. But failure is also what an entrepreneur fears in his thoughts and it can easily be the cause of a few changed decisions.
As an entrepreneur, failure is probably going to be an inevitable part of your work life and it is essential to deal with each of those failures effectively in order to gain from it. The first step toward dealing with failure is to be self-aware. Being self-aware can help you better understand the source of your problem. Understanding why your product is failing or why the strategy is not going according to plan are the kind of questions you need answers to at this point. Being aware of your reasons for failure is the initial step needed towards making the best of your situation. It takes a lot of honesty to see the situation for what it is. Once you are honest with yourself about the reality of the situation, you learn to acknowledge and accept failure for what it is. You have to let go of earlier inferences that got you to where you are and not let yourself be pulled into the weight of the situation. Doing this helps you move on to the next step and that is adjusting to the new situation.
The new situation you find yourself in will have its own set of challenges. Your source problem will have you exploring different avenues that you had not predicted nor were prepared for earlier. You and the team will have to assemble and make accommodations for the new changes together. So it is vital at this stage to adjust and make changes with the team to better adapt and overcome the problem.
Most importantly, do not let it get to you. Failure can bring you down and before you know it you could find yourself bogged down by some negative thoughts. You begin to doubt recovery, dwell on this sudden decline and hang on to the losses. But the more you get entangled with such thoughts, the more you bring down your energy levels. It is crucial at this stage to keep moving in order to keep your momentum. Once we lose momentum it becomes easier to slip down. Failures may take you by surprise, even then you must be ready to think on your feet and make swift decisions in an attempt to salvage your situation. Treating your failures as a means to better development can only enhance the chances of success and it might just be your launch to greater achievement.
