At some point in life, we have all faced challenges or obstacles and for some we have succeeded in overcoming the difficulties that come along our way, but other times we are unable to get the desired results we want and this is what we call failure.
Failure entails being unable to achieve set goals, when things don’t go according to your plans or when we make mistakes and bad decisions.
It is normal to feel disappointed or discouraged when you fail, which is an even more reason to learn how to cope with the negative outcomes; as the feelings associated with failure may limit your success in moving forward and learning from the experience.
So how do you cope with failure? Let’s take a look at the following guidelines:
Allow yourself to go through the emotions - it’s ok to feel bad, upset or angry with the undesired results, so give yourself the time to feel the emotions.
Accept the responsibility of the failure - be aware of where you went wrong. This is highly important so that you learn from your mistakes and use the lessons in moving forward in order to increase your chances of success.
Therapy - as you go through the process of failure take some time to speak to someone that you trust or a professional and have a support system to receive the right help needed to achieve new goals.
Devise a new plan - once you have identified your mistakes and have learned from them, you'll be ready to create a new plan; a plan that will help you put the information you gained into practice.
Forgive yourself - you might say, “why didn’t I see this coming?” and start blaming yourself. Please know that you are not perfect and can never be. If God can forgive us for all our sins, then we ought to be able to forgive ourselves too. Focus on your strengths and how you can do better.
Above all, the best way of coping with failure is to rely fully on God to see you through it. Failure is not your final destination and with God on your side nothing is impossible! Deuteronomy 31:6 ‘’Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.’’
A biblical example of someone who failed but overcame is King David. Please take time to read his story in 2 Samuel 11 and 12. King David sinned against God but he learnt from his mistakes, confessed his sin and repented. So he chose to overcome his failures and in turn became very successful. He allowed life’s experiences to grow him instead of hold him back.
Part of life’s journey is to go through failure but we are not meant to stay in that negative space. So do your best not to dwell on your problems or relive your mistakes which won’t change anything, instead focus on becoming a better, much stronger individual, ready to tackle the next challenge. Speak positively to yourself and say "I am capable of trying again." Now believe it and try again!
It doesn’t matter how many times you fail, you need to keep trying until you achieve the desired results!
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