9 Ways to Pick Yourself Up After Failing

You often hear sayings like “failure isn't final” but that does not stop it from feeling that way. There was a time when even the thought of failure would keep me from trying.

I lived a lot of my life on the sidelines because I was afraid. Afraid of failure, afraid of success, afraid of being seen. It was not until I started going after my dreams that I realized how true these sayings are. Failure is not final and failure isn't fatal either.

I have had the pleasure of interviewing a variety of people on my podcast and guess what? Most of them were afraid at some point, most of them had self-doubt too. But it was not until they pushed past the fear and took action that their life started to change.

1. Learn From Each Failure — There is a lesson each time you fail. Discover what this lesson is and keep it in mind during future attempts at success.

2. Forge Ahead — Confidence does not just happen, it is built. You build that confidence by moving forward, by taking action, by taking that next step. “Focus on the effort, not the outcome.”

3. Surround Yourself with Good People — It is a good idea to be surrounded by like-minded and positive people, especially when dealing with the negative emotions that may accompany failure.

4. Set Goals — If you have failed at a large task, think about setting smaller, immediate goals. Make them doable and sustainable.

5. Visualize Your Dreams — Fight the negative thoughts that creep up after failure by visualizing yourself meeting your goal.

6. Be Enthusiastic — It is important to maintain the enthusiastic force to give you the energy and drive to continue toward your goal.

7. Write it Down — Keep a journal that details your personal thoughts, goals, and attempts.

8. Don't Dwell in the Past — The past does not have to be your present or future. The only way to achieve your goals is to keep moving forward.

9. Think About the Worst Case Scenario — Realizing that failure may only mean a small delay toward your eventual success can alleviate some of your fears and give you the confidence to succeed.

The path to healing and the path to success are not linear. Sometimes you will take detours, go backwards, do a loop, or turn in the wrong direction. It happens. Forgive yourself and keep going. I promise, it is worth it.