Using the Lessons of Failure To Boost Your Success
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Everybody fails at something -- often several somethings -- in the course of a lifetime. Failure is a critical part
of growing -- both personally and professionally.
Key: People who succeed do so in large part by learning useful lessons from their failures. They don't take
their mistakes too seriously. They understand that failing is not a sign of stupidity or incompetence.
Instead, successful people view each failure as an isolated incident. They realize that failures sometimes
come from personal weaknesses or blind spots... and that by exploring each mistake and understanding
why it happened, they can figure out how not to repeat it. Then they are able to turn their attention back to their
goals and begin moving forward again.
NINE CRITICAL CATEGORIES
For business owners, most failures fall into one of nine key categories. By understanding which categories
apply to you, you can improve your chances of success. The nine categories of business failure include...
Lack of focus. People who lack focus -- because they're "too busy" or because their priorities are out of whack
-- tend to make costly mistakes and waste time and resources.
True story: A businessman ordering flowers to acknowledge the opening of a friend's new business was
greeted by a frazzled florist. As she took the businessman's order, the florist -- obviously shorthanded --
scrambled to fill existing orders.
When the businessman arrived at his friend's grand opening later that day, he saw a floral wreath with his
name on it that said, "With deepest sympathy during this time of sorrow." When he called the florist to
complain, he was told that the mistake on the other end was even worse. The card on the flower
arrangement sent to the funeral home read, "Best wishes in your new location."
Lesson: The mistake caused by lack of focus should create a strong incentive to work harder to correct the
problem.
Inadequate commitment. If you're genuinely committed to a project, failing at it doesn't mean you'll never
succeed. It just means success may take longer and possibly come at a greater cost than you thought.
As Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said on the subject, "Until one is committed, there is hesitance, the chance
to draw back and always ineffectiveness. The moment one definitely commits oneself, a whole stream of
events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and material
assistance which no man could have dreamed would come his way."
Assess your level of commitment: Ask yourself, When I last failed, did I stop trying because I failed, or did I fail
because I stopped trying?... Did I give the task everything I had?... Did I put enough of myself on the line to
guarantee that I was giving my very best?
Unwillingness to change. Inflexibility is one of the greatest obstacles to achievement, personal growth and
success.
You don't have to love change to be successful, but because the world won't stay the same, you must accept
change and learn to adapt to it constructively.
Change is good -- it offers you a fresh start, gets you out of a rut and enables you to reevaluate where you are
and where you're going.
It is difficult to learn this lesson from reading about it in an article or book. But the first time you realize that you
have failed at something due to inflexibility, chances are your attitude toward change will improve.
Bad fit. Sometimes, a case of mismatched talents, interests, personalities or values can contribute to chronic
failure. If your attitude isn't at the root of your failures consider that you may be a round peg in a square hole.
Example: Film producer David Brown was fired from three different jobs in corporate America before he
realized the traditional world of business simply wasn't for him.
He examined his working behavior and found that his outspoken, risk-oriented style wasn't appreciated by
large organizations. He went on to pursue his own film ideas and became a successful producer of such
popular films as Jaws.
Relying on talent alone. On the road to success, talent offers a good starting point. However, it's not enough
to sustain a person through the multiple failures that life brings. You need a strong work ethic, too. Add that to
talent and sprinkle with tenacity and you've got a great recipe for success.
Poor people skills. People won't go along with you if they can't get along with you. If you don't listen to,
understand and relate well with others, you'll have ongoing people problems, at work and at home.
Solution: Listen carefully to what employees, customers, vendors and advisers have to say to you without
interrupting or formulating your response as they're speaking. Don't expect everyone else to conform to your
wishes, schedule and agenda.
Instead, consider conceding occasionally -- or compromising regularly. As Theodore Roosevelt once said,
"The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people."
Negative attitude. Your attitude can be either an obstacle or a catalyst to success. It's your choice. If you learn
to make the best of your circumstances by finding opportunities in the world around you, you'll be successful.
And -- being aware of your tendency to let opportunities slip by can be a powerful way to learn how to
eliminate negativity from your outlook.
Acting on poor information. Successful people filter the information they take in and base important decisions
on what they know to be accurate.
Challenge: Much of the information we're exposed to today -- in the media, from the mouths of gossips and
on the Internet -- isn't dependable. If you fail at something because you acted on poor information, use the
experience to develop a keen sense of judgment about information you come across in the future.
Lack of goals. If you don't know where you're going, you'll obviously never get there. Living life without goals is
like taking a driving vacation without using a road map. Goallessness is a major cause of business failure.
