BY: Michael Bucci
In business, as in life, we are often taken aback by unexpected events. Sometimes these events are beneficial and help us achieve our goals. However, more often than not, we face challenges that have the potential to permanently derail us from making our dreams come true.
A setback can take any form and come at any time. It may be a large client who takes his business elsewhere or your wife filing for divorce. It may be a natural disaster that is out of your control or the corporation laying off people to cut costs.
Control your reactions
No matter what the setback, there is one thing that you can control at all times: your reaction. That's right: If you are having a bad day at the office, there is no need to be a sourpuss and make life miserable for everyone around you. Suck it up and carry on as if all were well.
Whatever the problem may be, you will need to address it quickly and come up with a solution. The best way to do this is by remaining calm and levelheaded. Emotion will cloud your judgment, so keep it in check, or a small problem can quickly escalate into a big one.
Temporary failure
For most people, especially ambitious and competitive ones, setbacks are not always easy to swallow. By our very nature, we do not like to fail. The first time you rode a bike, you probably fell off after five seconds. Did you just quit and go back to sucking your thumb? Of course not. You got back on that thing and tried until you could ride it around the block!
Do you still handle failure in the same gung ho manner today? Suppose you were up for a promotion and did not get it because the boss thought that schmuck from finance was a better pick. Would you sulk and be grouchy for the next three months? Would you have a big chip on your shoulder and start slacking off on the job? If so, that may be why the boss picked the other guy instead of you.
The first thing you need to keep in mind if you fail at something is that failure is nothing more than a temporary setback. Upon seeing failure in this light, you will come to realize that failure is not so bad after all, provided you keep trying until you get it right.
Tomorrow is a new day
A setback can take any form and come at any time. It may be a large client who takes his business elsewhere or your wife filing for divorce. It may be a natural disaster that is out of your control or the corporation laying off people to cut costs.
Control your reactions
No matter what the setback, there is one thing that you can control at all times: your reaction. That's right: If you are having a bad day at the office, there is no need to be a sourpuss and make life miserable for everyone around you. Suck it up and carry on as if all were well.
Whatever the problem may be, you will need to address it quickly and come up with a solution. The best way to do this is by remaining calm and levelheaded. Emotion will cloud your judgment, so keep it in check, or a small problem can quickly escalate into a big one.
Temporary failureFor most people, especially ambitious and competitive ones, setbacks are not always easy to swallow. By our very nature, we do not like to fail. The first time you rode a bike, you probably fell off after five seconds. Did you just quit and go back to sucking your thumb? Of course not. You got back on that thing and tried until you could ride it around the block!
Do you still handle failure in the same gung ho manner today? Suppose you were up for a promotion and did not get it because the boss thought that schmuck from finance was a better pick. Would you sulk and be grouchy for the next three months? Would you have a big chip on your shoulder and start slacking off on the job? If so, that may be why the boss picked the other guy instead of you.
The first thing you need to keep in mind if you fail at something is that failure is nothing more than a temporary setback. Upon seeing failure in this light, you will come to realize that failure is not so bad after all, provided you keep trying until you get it right.
Tomorrow is a new day Now that you know that failure is nothing more than a temporary setback, here's another great way to quickly get back on track. Always keep in mind that tomorrow is a new day. If we have a rough day and fail at something, it isn't easy to keep our game face on and keep working through the day at full capacity. This is normal.
However, what separates the truly successful from everyone else is that they take their medicine, absorb the pain for that one day, and then come back re-energized and ready for full-out war the next day. They do not let the previous day's defeat hold them back from achieving their goals. They do not complain or sulk, because that would only waste more time -- time they could be using to make money.
However, what separates the truly successful from everyone else is that they take their medicine, absorb the pain for that one day, and then come back re-energized and ready for full-out war the next day. They do not let the previous day's defeat hold them back from achieving their goals. They do not complain or sulk, because that would only waste more time -- time they could be using to make money.
Don't dwell on the pastSuccessful people are able to rise above the fray because they focus on the task at hand and on how they can improve themselves. They learn from their past mistakes; they do not dwell on them. What's done is done and cannot be changed. Successful people know this and don't waste time or energy beating a dead horse.
The past is useful if you use it as a lifeline. That is, use it to learn from, and don't repeat past mistakes. This alone will make you a better person. Avoid using the past as an anchor; it will weigh you down and hold you back. Don't keep your entire past in active memory, because it will keep you docked for life, and if you don't get out to sea, then you won't catch any fish.
If your mind is busy going over past decisions and actions all the time, it does not have time to work on current problems and future plans. Without planning, no one can be a success.
The past is useful if you use it as a lifeline. That is, use it to learn from, and don't repeat past mistakes. This alone will make you a better person. Avoid using the past as an anchor; it will weigh you down and hold you back. Don't keep your entire past in active memory, because it will keep you docked for life, and if you don't get out to sea, then you won't catch any fish.
If your mind is busy going over past decisions and actions all the time, it does not have time to work on current problems and future plans. Without planning, no one can be a success.
Clear mind, clean execution
If you miss the game-winning shot one day, you must come to terms with it quickly and move on. If you do this, you'll have a clear mind and will perform better. If you want to hit a home run, you must go to bat with the same mind-set you had the last time you hit a home run.
If you step up to the plate thinking about how you struck out the last two times at bat, then you'll likely add another strikeout to your box score for the night. Leave the last at-bat in the past where it belongs; focus on hitting the ball.
Be a duck
If you step up to the plate thinking about how you struck out the last two times at bat, then you'll likely add another strikeout to your box score for the night. Leave the last at-bat in the past where it belongs; focus on hitting the ball.
Be a duck
Ducks are graceful creatures. When you see ducks swimming in a pond, they look as if they are floating along quietly, not moving a muscle. However, if you look underwater, you'll discover that they are "paddling" furiously in order to move forward.
The point is that you must also be able to look serene and keep your game face on, even if your mind is racing along at 1,000 mph and your heart rate is only slightly slower. Take failure in stride by dusting yourself off, getting back up after a short breather and starting the battle anew the next day. Every day is a new day -- a potentially great new day.
The point is that you must also be able to look serene and keep your game face on, even if your mind is racing along at 1,000 mph and your heart rate is only slightly slower. Take failure in stride by dusting yourself off, getting back up after a short breather and starting the battle anew the next day. Every day is a new day -- a potentially great new day.
No comments:
Post a Comment