Tip #10: Grasp The Positive Benefits Of Negative Experiences

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It doesn’t matter whether your objectives are in the area of art, business, ministry, sports, or relationships. The only way you can get ahead is to fail early, fail often and fail forward.

We overestimate the event and underestimate the process. Every fulfilled dream occurred because of dedication to a process. The process of achievement comes through repeat failures and the constant struggle to climb to a higher level.

To achieve your dreams, you must embrace adversity and make failure a regular part of your life. If you’re not failing, you’re probably not really moving forward.

The Benefits Of Adversity
View failure as a healthy, inevitable part of the process of getting to the top. Adversity and failure should be expected and viewed as critical.

Adversity Creates Resilience – People who lose their job 3 times are better able to handle adversity than people who have worked for one company and found themselves suddenly unemployed.

Adversity Develops Maturity – Adversity can make you better if you don’t let it make you bitter.  As the world continues to change at a faster and faster rate, maturity with flexibility becomes increasingly important. These qualities come from
weathering difficulties. The problems we face and overcome prepare our hearts for future difficulties.

Adversity Pushes The Envelope Of Accepted Performance – Until a person learns from experience, they are reluctant to buck mindless tradition, push performance, or challenge themselves physically. Failure prompts a person to rethink the status quo.

Adversity Provides Greater Opportunities – Eliminating problems limits our potential. Every successful entrepreneur has numerous stories of adversity and setbacks that opened doors to greater opportunity.

Adversity Prompts Innovation – The ability to innovate is at the heart of creativity – a vital component in success. If you want to succeed, you have to learn to make adjustments to the way you do things and try again. Adversity helps to develop that ability.

Adversity Recaps Unexpected Benefits – The greatest stories of success can be found in the unexpected benefits of mistakes. Kellogg’s Corn Flakes resulted when boiled wheat was left in a baking pan overnight. Scott Towels was launched when a toilet paper machine put too many layers of tissue together. In science, mistakes always precede the truth.

Adversity Motivates - If you can step back from the negative circumstances facing you, you will be able to discover their positive benefits. You have to be willing to look for them – and not take the adversity you are experiencing too personally.

 If you lose your job, think about the resilience and maturity you’re developing. In the game of life it’s a good idea to have a few early losses, which relieves you of the pressure of trying to maintain an undefeated season. Always measure an obstacle next to the size of the dream you’re pursuing.

Never give up hope and never lose perspective. Find the positive benefits in negative experiences.

YOUR TENTH STEP:
Think of the last major setback you experienced and list all of the benefits that have occurred as a result. During the coming week, as you experience problems, setbacks or failures, take some time at the end of the day to brainstorm all the good things that come form them.

Reply below to share your experiences.  Did you make examine your last setback and list all of the benefits that occurred as a result? What did you learn about yourself after completing this exercise ?  Was it difficult for you to do?   What do you think about these suggestions? Let us know! =)

Today’s Success Tip…
A failure is a man who blundered, but is not able to cash in on the experience. –Elbert Hubbard

With you on your journey…

NOTE: This is the 10th Mindset Tip in the series of a chapter by chapter summary of the book, “Failing Forward: Turning Mistakes into Stepping Stones for Success” by John C. Maxwell.