When Things Go Wrong - Learn and Move On

10 Things Successful People Do When Things Go Wrong, by Robert Locke (via Life Hack)

It is easy to imagine that successful people have always had that magic touch, when everything they do turns to gold. The reality is that they too have screwed up and failed. This article will tell you how they cope when things go pear shaped. If they can get over failure, then so can you. Lots of useful life lessons here.

1. They know how to adjust their goals

Successful people are not going to give up that easily. If X went wrong, it does not affect Y which is the hallmark of their success. They are adaptable, resilient, and determined to go on. That means having a plan B ready so that the phoenix will rise from the ashes.

2. They are realistic optimists

They know that optimism is what counts and their glass is always half full. Research suggests that the realistic optimist is more likely to be successful. In addition, they are grateful for what they have achieved and will concentrate on their successes.

3. They learn from their failure

“When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.” – Dalai Lama

If successful people fail, it means that they were prepared to:

• move out of the safe comfort zone
• take calculated risks
• experience the joy of growing and fulfilment

When and if they fail, they are able to sit down and assess calmly what went wrong. There is a lesson from every failure and they know how/where to find it, accept it, and above all apply it to future projects.

Bill Gates’ first company called Traf-O-Data was a failure. He was able to adapt and try again with Microsoft and we all know how successful that is.

“Success is moving from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill.

It is interesting to note that Churchill was defeated in many elections until he finally became Prime Minister at the age of 62!

4. They know that failure is a prelude to success

“I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”- Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan kept at it and made sure that he perfected his technique. You can do the same by assessing your skills set and see how they can be improved. Or maybe you need to spend more time on networking and building relationships. Is there a way you can take the initiative the next time?

5. They ask for advice

Many entrepreneurs were able to crawl out from the ruins of failure and start again. But some were wise enough to seek advice from friends or mentors. Obviously these have to be the kind of people you would trust your life with. They are also upbeat, confident, and can boost your morale.

Those who make it to the top also know how to get help from their networks and connections, when they want to start over after failure or setbacks.
6. They are persistent and courageous

“We fail? But screw your courage to the sticking post, and we’ll not fail.”- Lady Macbeth

Thomas Edison failed over 6,000 times when inventing the light bulb. The courage to go on is essential. All successful businessmen, inventors and politicians have one thing in common. They never quit.

7. They know that nothing is wasted

When asked about success and failure, Robert Kiyosaki, author of ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’ said that successful people are always pushing their boundaries. They are the ones who know how to invest in what remains after failure, so that they are always growing.

8. They know when to slow down and take a break

Very often, entrepreneurs are slow to admit their failure and make things worse by trying to back pedal and recoup losses. The secret is to know when to let go if you have failed, sit back, slow down, and regroup.

9. They never blame

“When people are lame, they love to blame.” – Robert Kiyosaki.

When successful people fail, they know where to lay to blame – on themselves.

10. They never wait for the right moment

“Carpe diem (seize the moment).” – Horace

The great successes of our time in inventions, research and in finance were all achieved because the entrepreneurs never thought for one moment that the ‘time was not right’. They went ahead and did it.

If you think that the difference between failure and success is just a matter of luck, think again! As Betty Liu, the ‘In the Loop’ anchor has said, it has nothing to do with chance. She summed it up as: “Opportunity + Preparation = Luck”.