Today's big question is, “How do you overcome failure and disappointment?”
If you are like me, you are no stranger to failure and disappointment.
In fact, it was traveling through a season of personal failure and disappointment that served as the primary catalyst for launching my coaching business.
And as grateful as I am for all of the good that has come out of that season, I am still amazed by how much the pain of that season often dredges up a lingering, ongoing, negative residual influence over me. I would like to say that I am the kind of person who can just pick myself up, dust myself off and move on — but that simply isn’t true of me.
As much as I don’t like admitting this, my tendency is to mentally rehearse past disappointments and beat myself up over them. I don’t have a natural, positive, forward-focused disposition.
But here’s something else I’ve learned — the path of self-judgment is self-defeating and always leads to the same predictable destination. This destination is paved with feelings of shame, deep disappointment, and regret. This is not a healthy place to dwell.
It is one thing to learn from failure. But it is quite another to linger in it. I’m learning how to use failures and seasons of disappointment as opportunities to grow in humility and become more resilient.
In my next email, I plan to share with you four vital daily activities (disciplines) that have helped me become more resilient and to reclaim and maintain a healthy mindset. I believe they will be helpful to you as well.
But before we go there, I’m curious...
...how do you typically respond when you fail or when life hands you a deep disappointment? Also, what impact has that made on your life?
I'd love to know. Comment below and let me know what you think.
