Failure IS an option.

I wrote an article on this very subject, with the same title a few years ago. And? it was a pretty decent article if I do say so myself!

Then I lost it. Gone. Deleted in error with no backup!

Talk about 'ironic'??..

Well, moving forward (hint) - over the years I have come into contact with a vast array of different people from all walks of life. Some extremely rich, then those quite the opposite. Some very well-known - others who will never want their '15 minutes of fame'.

Business people, colleagues, employees, friends?? the list goes on and on.

They ALL (just like you and me) have one thing in common. Failure.

Yep - we are ALL failures at something. Or we have all failed at one to or another?.. And it's more than likely we will all fail again at something.

Hands up all of you who have NEVER failed at ANYTHING?

Relationships, work / employment, exams, dieting, keep fit & exercise, decorating, gardening, keeping pets, D.I.Y., money, puzzles, competitions, cooking, gambling, auditions, interviews?and just about everything!

It doesn't have to be a massive 'failure' - sometimes these do happen, but anything which goes wrong, you mess up, you can't do?.. Is failure.

Most marriages end up in divorce. Most new small-businesses in the real world, collapse within their first two years. Most people trying to make money on the internet - don't.

The KEY here, is what you do when it happens? How do you deal with it? What happens next?

The solution is a simple formula I have been telling people for years. Whether it's friends, clients, staff, peers??. Whether I do it as part of a motivational course, or just straight-forward advice?. The formula is exactly the same.

How you apply the formula can vary from 'Passive Pre-Event Style'?. up to 'Aggressive Post-Event Style.

What am I talking about?

It's like flicking a switch inside you?? from the passive ' I know all the steps'?? to the more aggressive ' I've GOTTA DO IT NOW?.'

Have you ever seen the classic comedy film 'Airplane' ?

The Cabin Crew carefully explained all the safety procedures to the passengers. But when 'disaster strikes' - all hell breaks loose! Everyone panics! All the instructions go out the window!

OK - it was a movie. But the similarities to real-life are commonplace.

We often know what we SHOULD DO - but we find excuses to ignore it. If you simply 'give up' and do nothing - what are you expecting as a result?

"It wasn't my fault?." ? maybe it wasn't.
"The system doesn't work"?.. So what?
"Someone told me to do it"?.. and if they told you to jump off a cliff?
"The computer made a mistake"?? oh really?!
"Someone criticised me"?? Get over it.
"I'm just not good enough"?? Choose not to be.

OK - time for a few sayings??.. And hey!? these weren't written by someone for no reason!

'Try?..try?..and try again.'

'If you always do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always had'.

I really like that last one - perhaps the 'exact' wording is slightly wrong, but the underlying meaning in rock-solid (and it may take a minute or two understand where it's going).

If you prefer to make excuses and simply quit - fair enough. Your choice. But if you simply aren't happy with this option?.. Then there are 3 main stages you must address.

Firstly, you have to simply accept it. Admit to yourself that you have failed. Sounds easy doesn't it? But in reality it can be far harder than you think.

This part is vital because it can mean a change in attitude. YOURS. Stop blaming others, making excuses and simply giving up. This can be a major change in mind-set, but is important before you can go to the next step. Accept that 'it' hasn't worked. 'It' went wrong. 'It' is a dead-end. Don't personalise / humanise it. The 'acceptance' stage normally cannot be successful until the initial anger of the failure has subsided.

Next - another key step is to Learn from it.

Analyse the situation. Review what happened. Make notes. Discuss it with people / friends / colleagues?. But do so clearly and with an open-mind. Try to develop new methods, routines, rules?. which will avoid a recurrence of what happened last time.

Note - if during the 'learning' stage, you start to point the finger at others, or blame the system etc., this means you haven't successfully passed the first stage - Acceptance.

Once you have learned from it - the final stage is simple. MOVE ON. Move forward - don't keep looking back, don't let things hold you back. Because once you have accepted it, learned from it - then nothing should be able to hold you back. Take what you have learned, apply it, use it - get on with it!

A little warning here. Sometimes it simply won't work. You will get through the stages, do everything right - only to fail again. If this happens, just go back to step 2 - and start again.

Remember one of those sayings earlier? ?.. Try, try and try again.

SO, the formula is simply.

F + A + L + M.

Fail.
Accept it.
Learn from it.
Move on.

You can use your own variant to suit your needs. And this applies to business (both online and offline), plus everything in life.

However, do you remember the second 'saying' from earlier on? 'If you always do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always had'.

Successful people - whether they are millionaire business people, or perhaps those who seem to be 'lucky in love', to people who overcome adversity, injury, accident or disability -all have one thing in common.

They don't quit when the going gets tough.
They accept, learn and move on from failure.

There is a phrase?. 'Failure is not an option'.

I disagree. Failure isn't something you should strive for (obviously) but if you know how to deal with it when it arises, then it's not necessarily the end of the World!

An article by Gary Durkin, Founder of the Internet Advice Center®
http://www.InternetAdviceCenter.com

Gary has more than a decade of offline international business success behind him, controlling millions of dollars of global investments each day and has been doing business online for 6 years.

If you would like to join thousands of subscribers to his newsletter 'Delivering Success' - send a blank email to deliveringsuccess@kioskcities.ws

© Copyright 2005 - All Rights Reserved worldwide.

You are free to distribute this article, providing it remains unchanged and with the resource / bio box attached.

---

Preventing Setbacks: Compulsive Eating, Binge Eating, And Eating Addictions

On your journey to moving past using food to cope... Read More

It is a Challenge to Succeed

(excerpted from The Challenge to Succeed audio series)It is a... Read More

The Importance of Integrity

The single most important quality you can ever develop that... Read More

Trusting The Higher Self

As very few people achieve enlightenment in one lifetime, as... Read More

Inoculate Yourself Against Negativity

Unfortunately we come into contact with negativity everyday. We can't... Read More

Unlocking Human Potential

Before we can unlock human potential, we need to know... Read More

Top 10 Miraculous Benefits of Keeping a Personal Journal

In earlier generations it was common to keep a diary... Read More

My First Major Failure

Thomas Edison wrote his quote " I have not failed,... Read More

How To Stop Having Problems

If you are like me you have probably lost a... Read More

Do You Know Whats The #1 Success Secret Is?

How many people do you hear complaining about their job,... Read More

Who Wants to be a Millionaire?

I do! I want to be a millionaire! Do you?Judging... Read More

Self Improvement and the Power of Concentration

One the most important Self Improvement skills to develop to... Read More

Introducing 4 Indispensable Strategies For Success

I would like to use this medium to introduce my... Read More

Dont Just Read About It; Be About It!

Far too many of us struggle through life despite more... Read More

Dont Assume You Cant Do it, Just Because Conventional Wisdom Says you Cant

Be weary and leery when it comes to standardized tests... Read More

Keep Track of Your Results

Three key words to remember: weigh, count and measure. Now,... Read More

Success Through Clear Dreams - I Do Not Want To Lie On My Death Bed Saying I Wish I Had Done That

Many UK citizens want to settle or retire in Spain... Read More

Personal Power: Implementing Change from the Inside Out

Personal power is an INSIDE JOB. It doesn't mean getting... Read More

7 Things You Can Do To Reach The Success You Truly Desire

Ever have those days where no matter what you try... Read More

Reach Your Goals - Delegate Your Life

Delegate your life If you're having problems finding the time... Read More

10 Principles of Success

How do we define success? Webster's dictionary defines success as... Read More

What Does Success Look Like To You?

So many of us want success, but how many of... Read More

Learning How To Fall: You Have To Learn To Fall Before You Can Ride With Confidence!

About a month ago, I was hit by a car... Read More

Success The Cartoon Character Way?

If you could choose a cartoon character from your childhood... Read More

Advance Your Enthusiasm and Determination for Success

Imagine being firmly committed to your deepest ambitions. Imagine feeling... Read More

Re-defining Success in Midlife

When entering second adulthood, many women will begin a journey... Read More

The Gift Of Success

Often just one self-help principle can increase your power to... Read More

Top 25 Success Quotations

Consider what it takes to become an undeniable success with... Read More

Leading And Influencing An Audiance Of One Or A Hundred

Because Not All Skills Are Equal?Public Speaking MasteryHello,Tom Cruise is... Read More

Shortest Path To Success!

Thoughts move faster than the speed of light.Expectations jump faster... Read More

NORPS

I thought this was unbelievable, but it's true.On average, security... Read More

Creating Your Own Success Support System

People who are on the same journey tend to band... Read More

Scientific Discovery Reveals How You Can Live Better Forever

If you are not experiencing perfect, harmonious, pressure-free life experiences... Read More