Karen McCann McClelland’s Post

An important realization: Failure is a skill. 4 steps to use your next failure to succeed: We've all felt the pain: • A bad review at work that caught you off guard • Passed up for a promotion you felt you had earned • A weak presentation in front of the leadership team • Harsh feedback from a colleague or partner • A missed quarterly sales quota or target Here's the system I developed to fail better—to handle, deconstruct, and use every single failure to set the conditions for future success. Step 1: Set a Failure Timer Give yourself a fixed amount of time (~24 hours) to feel frustrated or angry about the failure. During this time, you don't need to do anything but sit with the feelings and emotions. Allow yourself the grace of that period, but when the time is up, you move forward to the next step. Step 2: Become a Scientist Once you've made it through your grace period, it's time to learn. You need to approach the failure as a scientist does an experiment: Gather Information: What happened? How did it differ from my expectation? Analyze Information: Why might this have happened? What elements of my process might have contributed to this outcome? What are the underlying insights from the unexpected result? The important piece here is that the cold, emotionless, disciplined analysis establishes accountability for the failure that sparks you into your next action. Becoming a scientist means determining the variables that are within your control, understanding them in detail, and focusing your energy on improving them for the next attempt. Step 3: Time Travel Imagine yourself one year from today: You're in flow, celebrating a great success. Looking back at the prior year, you point to the failure you just experienced as the turning point, as the critical moment that set the conditions for this win. Ask your future self a few questions: • What actions did you take to make it so? • What changes did you make in your life after the failure? • What behaviors, mindsets, and routines did you adapt? Use these questions to guide your actions in the present. Step 4: Take Action In my experience, the hardest part of coming back from any failure is putting yourself back out there. Information is nothing without action. In the wake of a failure, default to action. Remember: Action doesn't have to be perfect for it to be right. The world isn't run by perfect people who never failed. The world is run by imperfect people who failed over and over again—but who used every failure to set the conditions for their future success. Maybe that failure you just experienced isn't the end after all. Maybe that failure you just experienced is your starting line. P.S. Interested in self-improvement? Join 800,000+ others who get my free newsletter: https://lnkd.in/esGsF85Q If this resonates, repost to share with others ♻️ and follow Sahil Bloom for more in future. Visual by the talented Pejman Milani!

An important realization: Failure is a skill. Four steps to use your next failure to succeed: We've all felt the pain: •A bad review at work that caught you off guard •Passed up for a promotion you felt you had earned •A weak presentation in front of the leadership team •Harsh feedback from a colleague or partner •A missed quarterly sales quota or target Here's the system I developed to fail better—to handle, deconstruct, and use every single failure to set the conditions for future success. Step 1: Set a Failure Timer Give yourself a fixed amount of time (~24 hours) to feel frustrated or angry about the failure. During this time, you don't need to do anything but sit with the feelings and emotions. Allow yourself the grace of that period, but when the time is up, you move forward to the next step. Step 2: Become a Scientist Once you've made it through your grace period, it's time to learn. You need to approach the failure as a scientist does an experiment: Gather Information: What happened? How did it differ from my expectation? Analyze Information: Why might this have happened? What elements of my process might have contributed to this outcome? What are the underlying insights from the unexpected result? The important piece here is that the cold, emotionless, disciplined analysis establishes accountability for the failure that sparks you into your next action. Becoming a scientist means determining the variables that are within your control, understanding them in detail, and focusing your energy on improving them for the next attempt. Step 3: Time Travel Imagine yourself one year from today: You're in flow, celebrating a great success. Looking back at the prior year, you point to the failure you just experienced as the turning point, as the critical moment that set the conditions for this win. Ask your future self a few questions: • What actions did you take to make it so? • What changes did you make in your life after the failure? • What behaviors, mindsets, and routines did you adapt? Use these questions to guide your actions in the present. Step 4: Take Action In my experience, the hardest part of coming back from any failure is putting yourself back out there. Information is nothing without action. In the wake of a failure, default to action. Remember: Action doesn't have to be perfect for it to be right. The world isn't run by perfect people who never failed. The world is run by imperfect people who failed over and over again—but who used every failure to set the conditions for their future success. Maybe that failure you just experienced isn't the end after all. Maybe that failure you just experienced is your starting line.

Pursuing something relentlessly, only to be met with non-stop failures, can make the desire seem irrelevant. Elaboration: Indeed, when we pursue something with great enthusiasm and dedication, only to be met with a string of failures, it can be incredibly demotivating. The repeated setbacks can make us question the relevance and importance of our goal, leading to feelings of frustration, disappointment, and even despair. This phenomenon is often referred to as the "effort-reward imbalance." When we invest significant time, energy, and resources into achieving a goal, but don't see the desired outcomes, it can create a sense of disillusionment. The more we struggle, the more we may start to wonder if the goal is truly worth the effort. Additionally, the psychological concept of "learned helplessness" can also come into play. When we experience repeated failures, we may start to feel that our efforts are futile, and that we're powerless to change the outcome. This can lead to a sense of hopelessness and a decrease in motivation. However, it's essential to remember that failure is an inherent part of the learning and growth process. Every successful person has experienced setbacks and failures along the way. Thomas Edison, for example, is famously quoted as saying, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work." So, what can we do when faced with non-stop failures? 1. **Re-evaluate and adjust**: Take a step back, assess your approach, and identify areas for improvement. Be willing to pivot or adjust your strategy to overcome the obstacles. 2. **Focus on progress, not perfection**: Celebrate small wins and acknowledge the progress you've made, even if it's not a complete success. 3. **Seek support and guidance**: Surround yourself with people who can offer valuable insights, encouragement, and support. 4. **Practice self-compassion**: Treat yourself with kindness and understanding, just as you would a friend in a similar situation. 5. **Reframe failure as feedback**: View failures as opportunities to learn and grow, rather than as evidence of your inadequacy. Remember, the desire to pursue something relentlessly is often a sign of passion and dedication. Don't give up on your goals just because of setbacks. Instead, use those failures as stepping stones to success.

Here's how you can bounce back (even stronger) from failure: Ever felt like a failure set you back? Think again. Learning from failures is key to personal and professional growth. Failures provide these valuable lessons: 1️⃣ 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸: Failures show us where we need to improve. ➟ Action: After a setback, list the areas of improvement and create a plan to address them. 2️⃣ 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Facing setbacks builds mental toughness. ➟ 𝗔ction: Reflect on a past failure and write down how it made you stronger. 3️⃣ 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Great discoveries start with failed attempts. ➟ Action: Identify a recent failure and brainstorm three new approaches inspired by what you learned. 4️⃣ 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Failures remind us we're not perfect. ➟ Action: Ask a trusted colleague for feedback on your recent project and incorporate their insights. 5️⃣ 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿: Overcoming failures shapes who we are. ➟ Action: Keep a journal of your failures and the character traits you develop as you overcome them. Seeing failures as opportunities lets us grow stronger. Analyze what went wrong; Make adjustments; Keep at it;  And transform setbacks into steps

🌿 Embracing Failure: The Key to Personal Growth and Success 🔑 "Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." - Henry Ford Failure is an inevitable part of life, yet it's often feared and avoided. However, learning how to deal with failure is crucial for personal and professional development. Here's why: 1️⃣ Failure Means You Tried 💪 - Attempting something new, even if it doesn't work out, takes courage and initiative - Failure is a sign that you're stepping out of your comfort zone and taking risks - Embrace failure as evidence of your willingness to grow and learn 2️⃣ Failure Provides Direction 🧭 - When you fail, you gain valuable insights into what doesn't work - Analyze your failures to identify areas for improvement and development - Use failure as a compass to guide you towards success 3️⃣ Failure Builds Resilience 🦾 - Dealing with failure teaches you to persevere in the face of adversity - Each failure you overcome makes you stronger and better equipped for future challenges - Cultivate a growth mindset and view failure as an opportunity to build resilience 4️⃣ Failure Leads to Growth 🌱 - Failure pushes you to reassess your strategies and approach - Embrace the lessons learned from failure and use them to become a better version of yourself - Failure is a stepping stone to personal and professional growth Remember, failure is not the opposite of success; it's a part of the journey. By learning to deal with failure effectively, you develop the skills, resilience, and mindset necessary to reach your objectives and achieve success. How has dealing with failure helped you grow personally or professionally? Share your experiences in the comments below! 💬 \#Failure \#PersonalGrowth \#Resilience \#Success \#LearningFromFailure \#GrowthMindset \#ProfessionalDevelopment 🔔 If you found this valuable, please repost and share with your network ♻️ Follow me, Jaime Henriques, for more insights!

Have you ever failed in an endeavor? Of course you have! Haven't we all?  It is not the failure itself, but our reactions to it. I have definitely had my share of failure throughout my adult life. But it has never kept me from trying again. And again. And again. Sometimes, I feel like I am a serial failure. But thinking that way doesn't do me any good. In fact, the willingness to shake off failure might just be my super power. Failure is often seen as a negative experience, but it can be a powerful tool for personal growth and transformation. Here are several key reasons why failure can be a good thing: 1. **Failure Teaches Resilience** - When we experience failure, we learn to adapt, bounce back, and try again with a new approach. This builds emotional and mental resilience, which strengthens our ability to face future challenges.  2. **Failure Fuels Learning and Growth** - Failure forces us to reflect on what went wrong. This self-assessment leads to valuable insights and lessons that success alone can't offer. Every failure holds the seeds of improvement, pushing us to refine our skills or mindset. 3. **Failure Promotes Innovation** - Many innovations and breakthroughs come from failed attempts. In fact, failure encourages creativity and pushes us to think outside the box when traditional methods don’t work. James Dyson, the inventor of the Dyson vacuum cleaner, had over 5000 failed prototypes before creating his successful product. 4. **Failure Builds Character** - Going through failure can humble us, teaching humility and patience. It also develops perseverance, determination, and grit, qualities that are essential for long-term success.  5. **Failure Realigns Us with Purpose** - Sometimes failure happens because we are out of alignment with our true purpose. It can serve as a redirection, helping us identify paths that are more suited to our personal or professional growth. 6. **Failure Reduces Fear of Risk** - Once you’ve experienced failure and survived, the fear of it diminishes. This newfound courage allows you to take calculated risks in the future, knowing that failure is just a stepping stone rather than a dead-end.  7. **Failure Increases Empathy and Connection** - When you’ve gone through failure, you become more compassionate toward others who are struggling. This can deepen relationships and build stronger connections with others who share similar experiences. 8. **Failure Reminds Us of Our Strength** - Surviving failure reminds us of our inner strength. It shows that we are capable of handling adversity and often surprises us with the depths of our courage and tenacity. 9. **Failure Encourages Reflection and Realignment** - Failure gives us the space to reconsider our priorities, values, and goals. It encourages self-reflection and often leads to profound inner shifts, helping us realign with what truly matters. What is your biggest failure? How did you respond? How did it make you the person you are today?

There is one thing that those with a failure mindset have in common. Excuses are the common denominator of those who embrace a failure mindset. When you focus on BLAME (Being Lazy And Making Excuses), you remain stuck in a victim mindset. BLAME is a self-destructive cycle where you avoid taking responsibility for your actions and instead find reasons to justify your inaction. Here's the truth—you can step away from victimhood and into victory. It's time to grab your OAR: Ownership, Accountability, and Responsibility, and steer your life in the direction you deserve. Here are four action steps you can take today to stop being a victim and start becoming a victor: 1. Own your situation – No matter what has happened in the past, take responsibility for where you are now and decide to change your trajectory. It's easy to blame others or circumstances, but you regain control when you accept full ownership of your life. Owning your situation is the first step to reclaiming your power and charting a new course. 2. Stop making excuses – Identify your excuses and challenge them. Excuses are self-imposed barriers that keep you stuck. You can eliminate them and focus on solutions by recognizing them for what they are. Remember, each time you make an excuse, you're allowing fear or laziness to win. Replace those excuses with reasons to take action. This liberation from excuses frees you to focus on your goals and take meaningful steps toward victory. 3. Shift your mindset – Reframe challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles holding you back. Every setback is a setup for a comeback. When you see difficulties as a chance to learn and improve, you step out of the victim mindset and into a growth-oriented perspective. Your attitude determines your outcomes—choose one that aligns with victory. This growth-oriented perspective fills you with optimism and hope for a successful future. 4. Surround yourself with victors – Who you spend time with impacts your success. You'll stay stuck in that mentality if you surround yourself with negative, excuse-making individuals. But if you spend time with people who push you, challenge you, and encourage growth, you'll be inspired to rise above excuses and embrace responsibility. Seek out a community of victors who model the mindset and behaviors you want to adopt. Ready to make the shift? Schedule your complimentary discovery call today, a one-on-one session where we'll discuss your current situation, your goals, and how you can embrace victory by building talk about action and accountability into your life. The choice is yours—victim or victor. Which will you choose? All your choices have consequences, so choose wisely. Be Extraordinarily Bold! #strategy #innovation #creativity #business #kingdombuilder

🛑 When Failure Became My Best Friend: Turning Setbacks into Success🛑 🎬 The Day I Met Failure Face-to-Face 🎬 Ever felt like the ground slipped beneath your feet when things didn’t go as planned? I’ve been there too. It was the day my biggest professional dream shattered, and I thought I had hit rock bottom. Little did I know, this failure would become the turning point that changed everything. In 2024, with intense job competition and evolving industries, setbacks are inevitable. But here’s the secret: they’re not roadblocks; they’re stepping stones. 🚪 Chapter 1: My Failure, My Lesson After spending months preparing for a promotion, I was rejected. I felt humiliated, wondering if my efforts were wasted. But instead of sulking, I started reflecting. I identified gaps in my skills and found that mastering data analytics was critical for future growth. I enrolled in online courses, upskilled, and within months, landed an even better role—one aligned perfectly with my interests and strengths. 📊 Research Says: Why Failure Matters in 2024 Experts like Angela Duckworth, who popularized the concept of grit, argue that persistence through failure leads to long-term success. According to a study by Harvard Business Review, 60% of professionals who encounter early career failures bounce back stronger, equipped with better skills. 💼 Practical Steps: Turn Setbacks into Success 1.Embrace Reflection: Analyze what went wrong and identify growth areas. 2.Upskill Strategically: Use your downtime to learn in-demand skills like digital tools, leadership, or AI literacy. 3.Seek Feedback: Ask peers or mentors what you can improve to enhance your abilities. 4.Stay Resilient: Rejections are redirections—keep trying new avenues. 🛠️ An Extra Push: Rejections Are Redirections Remember J.K. Rowling? Her Harry Potter manuscript was rejected by 12 publishers. Today, it’s a billion-dollar empire. If she gave up, the world would have missed out on an incredible story. 🏁 Conclusion: Failure Isn’t the End—It’s the Beginning Failure isn’t a full stop; it’s just a comma in the sentence of your success story. Every rejection holds a lesson, and every missed opportunity points you to something better. In 2024, industries value resilience as much as skills. Showcasing how you bounced back from failures can set you apart in any job interview. Key Takeaway: Failures don’t define you; how you rise from them does. Learn, adapt, and grow—because the best opportunities often come disguised as setbacks. With the right mindset and practical steps, failure can be the best teacher. So, the next time rejection knocks on your door, welcome it with open arms—it might just be the beginning of your next big success! 🚀 #FailureToSuccess #Resilience2024 #JobSearchTips #GrowthMindset #LessonsInLife #PersonalDevelopment #NeverGiveUp #CareerSuccess #LearningFromFailure #UpskillAndGrow

The Power of Persistence: Achieving Success Through Determination Persistence is the key ingredient that separates those who achieve their goals from those who fall short. It is the unwavering commitment to overcoming obstacles, learning from failures, and staying the course despite challenges. In various aspects of life, from personal endeavors to professional pursuits, the ability to persist is a crucial factor in attaining success. The Journey of Persistence The path to success is rarely a straight line. More often, it resembles a winding road with unexpected twists and turns. What sets persistent individuals apart is their ability to navigate these twists and turns with resilience. Learning from Failure Persistence involves a willingness to confront failure head-on. Instead of being discouraged by setbacks, persistent individuals use them as valuable lessons. Each stumble becomes a chance to reassess strategies, identify weaknesses, and refine approaches. This continuous process of learning and adapting is what propels them forward, making failure an essential part of their success story. Overcoming Obstacles Life is filled with obstacles, both expected and unforeseen. Persistence is the force that empowers individuals to face these challenges headfirst. Whether it’s a challenging project at work, a personal goal, or a difficult situation, persistent individuals tackle obstacles with determination. They break down problems into manageable steps, seeking solutions rather than dwelling on difficulties. Consistency and Discipline Persistence is closely tied to consistency and discipline. It’s the daily commitment to putting in the effort, even when motivation wanes. Persistent individuals understand that success is often the result of small, consistent actions over time. Whether it’s practicing a skill, working on a project, or maintaining healthy habits, the ability to stay disciplined contributes significantly to long-term success. Resilience in the Face of Rejection In many endeavors, rejection is an inevitable part of the journey. Whether it’s facing rejection in relationships, job applications, or creative pursuits, persistent individuals don’t let setbacks define them. Instead, they use rejection as fuel for improvement, building resilience and bouncing back stronger. This ability to persevere in the face of disappointment is a testament to the power of persistence. Cultivating a Persistent Mindset Developing persistence is a mindset that can be cultivated over time. Setting realistic goals, breaking them into smaller tasks, and celebrating small victories along the way can help build momentum. Surrounding oneself with a supportive network and seeking inspiration from the stories of those who have overcome challenges can also reinforce a persistent mindset. Agree ❓ Follow for more Ali Al Mansour, Ph.D

Let Your Challenges Become Opportunities for Growth! Facing difficulties in our life can be incredibly beneficial – if we choose to allow our challenges to be growth opportunities. Obstacles, failures, and challenges can give us important feedback about where and who we are. Provide an opportunity for us to be courageous. Allow us to wake up and notice all the good things that are happening that we hadn’t been paying attention to. Give us an excellent opportunity for learning, growth, and improvement. Allow us to learn to appreciate ourselves, even when things don’t turn out exactly as we want them to. Give us an opportunity to get in touch with, take responsibility for, and express our real emotions in an authentic way Above all challenged us to play bigger, make adjustments, or rethink our approach. By learning to see our challenges as opportunities, we take our power back from situations, circumstances, and outcomes in our life. Our ability to appreciate difficulties, learn from them, and use them to our advantage, gives us an important insight into who we really are and how to create success and fulfillment in a conscious, deliberate, and authentic way. Being bold, going for what we want, and living with authenticity doesn’t in any way mean we won’t fail, struggle, or fall short. If we aren’t failing or facing any challenges at all, it’s probably a good indication that we aren’t playing all that big in our lives. Failure isn’t the opposite of success, it’s a part of success. It teaches us about resilience, courage, growth, and support. Failure is a stepping stone to achieving all of our goals. Every time you fail, there is a 100 % chance that it will teach you something. It is vital to use failure as a teaching tool to improve yourself and your skills, whether it be about decision-making, problem-solving, or more. Many people associate failure with defeat, but it’s crucial to change your mindset about it. By learning and growing from our failures, we thrive, step outside of our comfort zone, and gain new perspectives. Failure is ever-present in life – from the moment we take our first steps to our present life. It helps us grow and makes us stronger. It also allows us to learn from our weaknesses and develop our strengths. Everyone fails, and everyone reacts to failure differently. We need to make peace with the fact that we will fall many times throughout our journey. However, when we commit ourselves to get back up, dust ourselves off, be honest about how we feel and what happened, and not let it stop us from being who we are and going for what we want – we tap into what true power, boldness, and authenticity are all about.