Hub #8 - Eight Ways To Recover From Failure

Now this was supposed to be hub #10 in my "30 Days to 30 Hubs." However, in fact, it is only number #8. To be sure, when I began this writing marathon I had every intention of completing it with excellence and on time (Maybe even ahead of schedule.) Now I can give some very legitimate reasons (or at least I think so) why I did not keep on cue and I fell behind in my self-assigned task. I've always said, "An excuse is never a reason and a reason is never an excuse." But let's deal with the reality that, in spite of my reasons, for two days I rather felt like a failure.

Have you ever felt that way? Have you ever set some goals and for whatever reason they just fell flat? Well, if so, can we keep company? Now what do I do about it now? I have some choices to make, as do we all, when it seems that failure has invaded the ranks of our hopes and dreams. Do we let them swallow us up into that awful emotion of self-pity or do we use it as a catalyst to "jump-start" us to even better things? Let's take a look.

Below are eight suggestions on "Eight Ways To Recover From Failure." Whether it's just a perceived place (It's not really a failure but you feel like it is) in your life or the real deal (you really messed up) there are some things you can do to facilitate that wonderful thing called "recovery."

1. Acknowledge you messed up.

Now that sounds really simplistic I know. However, there are those who, when they fail, choose to bury their heads in the sand and "play pretend." It's a game that children play. That's fine for kids but it doesn't wear too well for adults. Pretending it (whatever the failure may be) didn't happen won't make it go away. Go ahead and acknowledge you made a mistake, acknowledge there were other things that took precedent, acknowledge you didn't do your homework but rather chose to play video games (hence the bad grade), acknowledge the event that was signed, sealed and delivered by that dreaded word called "failure."

2. Don't Waste Time Making Excuses

Excuse making is a futile effort in justifying our actions. It's really a time-stealer. Have you ever tried to excuse your way out of a mess and instead of it getting better, it only got worse? I have a feeling at some time or another in our lives, we've all been there, done that and have several t-shirts to prove it. Most of the time people can read through the excuses any way. Excuses, no. Explanations, when needed, yes.

3. Recognize the Failure is Not Fatal

It is important to recognize that failure (or even the sense of failure) is only an event, not a fatality. It's not terminal with no chance of recovery. There are so many instances in the Bible where God chose people, imperfect people, who when touched by His mighty hand of grace, did exploits for Him. Throughout my lifetime, I have read and even met people who most would have written them off and labeled them as hopeless failures. But because they experienced a power greater than themselves and were able to recognize failure as an event rather than being fatal, they became over-comers - winners!

4. Do not host a pity-party.

Have you ever hosted a pity-party (Now go ahead and tell the truth)? If yours was like mine (Yep, I've had a few) you invited everyone but only one showed up and that was you. Right? To be sure the party was boring and simply counter-productive. Mine was. Pity-parties are nothing more than the "woe is me syndrome" at its worst and this kind of thinking left unchecked can produce an awful thing called "bitterness." That's a toxic emotion that produces nothing good or beneficial in one's life. Do not allow "self-pity" to become your constant companion. If you do you won't like yourself very much at the end of the day.

5. Regroup.

Take some time to regroup. Reassess where you've been, where you are and where you're going. Reevaluate where you went wrong and what you can do to get back on track. If at all possible, don't rush this process. It is here that you begin to really gain some momentum. It is during this phase of recovery that hope really begins to stir in your heart that you can climb out of the muck and the mire of whatever it was that brought about the "failure" and move to another level of productivity in your life.

6. Renew your commitment to pursue your dreams and your purpose.

Let there be a defining moment in your life when you renew, with everything in you, the fire of the commitment to your dreams and the purpose God has for you. Allow God's grace and strength to confirm the call in you to greatness. The seed of destiny has been planted in your life. Your set-back, your failure (Remember Thomas Edison and the lightbulb?) was really a set-up to bring you to a place of great victory.

7. Don't be distracted by toxic people.

O.K. now that you've made that commitment to go after those dreams, those goals, those plans it is imperative that you check your friends list. Make sure they are not infectious with the "I told you so, guilt-mongering words" that toxic people have a tendency to speak. They are only a distraction that if left unchecked can become deadly. Words have power. Refuse to allow negative people to speak into your life. Connect with someone who will encourage you and increase you. Feed your dreams with the words of someone who really cares about you and wants you to succeed.

8. Get Started

Pick yourself up (Don't wait on someone else to do it.) Dust yourself off. Be who God has called you to be. Do what He called you to do. Have what He told you that you can have. He's already done His part. The rest is up to you. There is no better time than the present to get started. Through Christ you have what it takes to make it to the top. Now get going. This is your time so enjoy it.

In closing, remember, failure isn't final nor is it fatal. It's an event that can be overcome. I'm not really sure getting behind on writing these hubs would really be considered a "failure." But for me, I was totally disappointed to have fallen behind in my "assignment." What am I going to do? Well, it's really kind of simple. I'm going to follow my own "Eight Steps to Recover From Failure." I have moved from number one to number eight in short order. I've picked myself up and dusted myself off and I'm back in the race. While I'm at it... I'm enjoying the journey. For all those who've failed or think they have, come join me in this exciting and yes, challenging race to the finish. For you it may not be writing a "hub." It could be something else. But whatever your goals are, do not let your past failures stop you from getting to the summit of your dreams.