Here's how you can learn from failure and self-reflect in your professional journey.

What is “failure?” Who gets to define it for you? We live in a western-centric culture rooted in Aristotelian binary concepts—e.g., good/bad, success/failure. Don’t buy into it. Set your own standard for progress and setbacks—to be binary—because “the best made plans of mice and men do often go astray.” See every step backward or outside the movement towards progress as a learning opportunity. But why don’t we apply the same reflective analytics to our successes? Review every step forward as well to better understand what you did and why everyone—including you—feel it was a success. Indeed, take one day out weekly for what I call R&R—Reflection & Resilience. Reflect on how things are going, identify potential barriers & act swiftly.

I think we are all likely to experience setbacks in our personal and professional lives at some point. Some may be more devastating than others and recovery time may vary. I often compare this to archery. In archery, you have your starting point, your bow and arrow,and your target. However, your arrow will not move forward towards your target, unless you pull it back on the bow string. Yes, that pull back and that tension may be uncomfortable/painful, but it is necessary to move the arrow forward. Embracing setbacks is like appreciating the pull back of the bow string and believing that you can overcome that obstacle to move your arrow closer to your target. Your next shot could be a bullseye. Embrace the setback and keep moving forward.

Don’t be afraid to fail. The real fear lies in not trying at all. Failures are learning opportunities. A setback is not final. By examining your first unsuccessful attempt, you can understand how to approach the task differently next time to achieve a better outcome. I was once told that you start from a place of experience when tackling areas where you previously failed. This insight propels you to make a more informed decision. Introspection and perseverance are also critical for building your career, as evaluating yourself is essential for both professional and personal development. Perseverance keeps you committed to the goal. Introspection ensures that you stay focused on continuous improvement opportunities.

Reflecting on our past failures and shortcomings is crucial for enhancing our abilities and reaching our objectives. It's vital to be open-minded and consider the wider impact of our actions on others while pursuing professional growth. Embracing diverse perspectives, even those that challenge our own can drive us toward success.

Acknowledge Mistakes: Accept responsibility and recognize areas for improvement. Analyze Causes: Identify underlying reasons for failure to prevent recurrence. Gather Feedback: Seek constructive criticism from colleagues and mentors. Adjust Goals: Realign objectives and strategies based on lessons learned. Document Lessons: Keep a journal of insights and corrective actions. Stay Positive: Maintain resilience and view failures as growth opportunities. Continuous Learning: Pursue ongoing education and skill development.

In addition to analyzing outcomes (reflection is important), cultivating a growth mindset is key to learning from failure and progressing in your professional journey. This mindset views challenges as opportunities for learning and growth, rather than obstacles. It encourages resilience and perseverance, essential traits for overcoming setbacks and achieving success. With a growth mindset, you're less likely to view failure as a reflection of your abilities but rather as a stepping stone to improvement. This shift in perspective can significantly enhance your adaptability and problem-solving skills, positioning you as a valuable contributor in any professional environment.

From my own experience of dealing with failure, I realised that when you look back see these points: 1. How you can utilise what you have learned in the process. 2. What is the best possible alternative that you can seek. 3. Knowledge is power and embrace your learning in the process. 4. Experience is one thing that will always help you in making decisions. 5. Outcome is not always materialistic gain, start looking beyond materialism.

Agreed. Feedback is a powerful catalyst for building trust and credibility in relationships. When we seek and act on feedback, we demonstrate that we value and respect the perspectives of others. This helps to establish a foundation of mutual respect, which is essential for building strong, collaborative relationships.

Setting new goals 1. Key ingredient for continuous growth and motivation. 2. Gives direction, fosters personal and professional development. 3. Helps measure progress. 4. Regularly updating and reviewing goals keeps us aligned with our evolving aspirations and the changing landscape, ensuring we remain focused and driven towards achieving our full potential.

It’s also an underrated skill set. By developing a mindful awareness of our thoughts and beliefs, we can uncover the unconscious scripts that shape our perceptions of success and failure. This increased self-awareness allows us to challenge and reframe our experiences, rewriting the narratives that limit us and embracing a growth mindset that sees failure as a catalyst for growth and learning. Through mindfulness, we can take ownership of our stories, becoming the authors of our own lives and crafting a narrative that empowers us to thrive.

Self-reflection is especially important when it comes to building cultural competency. By taking the time to examine your own biases, assumptions, and cultural norms, you'll gain a deeper understanding of how your actions and words resonate within different cultural contexts. This self-awareness is essential for building trust, fostering inclusivity, and creating a more equitable and just society.

I'm of the opinion that you win or you learn. I learn most from my failures, even setbacks in a project or not getting to the next stage of an interview, I'm always keen to learn from that experience and apply it for the next one. I've worked in constantly changing and demanding environments, and so I've got used to using 'no', 'we've always done it like this' and 'its impossible' as fuel for my next achievement. I was once told 'progress over perfection', but recently discovered a slightly different phrase, 'progress towards perfection', which I quite like. I'm a fan of finding phrases or sentences that connect with my experience, and then keep them with me on the journey to remind me to keep going, keep pushing!