What do you do when you fail?

I don’t know about you, but the very first time I try something – typically isn’t my best execution. Plus there are instances even after I believe I’ve mastered something that I don’t get it quite right…

The funny thing about training and coaching salespeople is that at least once a week I hear:

“I tried that, it doesn’t work“

Here are the scenarios I’ve heard recently:
> the very first time they tried a new strategy – tactic – technique, they flubbed it and felt stupid.

> they asked a question a few times and never got the answer they WANTED so stopped asking.

> had an epic fail on a first call with Mr. Big so never called again.

Do any of those sound familiar?

Hence my question: What do you do when you fail?

How we handle failure becomes habit – habit of thought, habit of behavior, habit of attitude.

habit of thought – look for the lesson.
YES I know that sounds cliche but don’t let that remove the impact of finding a lesson in everything that goes wrong (even if the lesson is that there isn’t a 100% success but unless you try you’ll never hit the 90s).

habit of behavior – try again, no matter how much it hurt.
When I was a kid we rode bikes all the time in my neighborhood. Through the woods, over jumps, dare devil stuff – which got my brothers in trouble for breaking their bikes… and me a broken arm one summer. Although I didn’t ride a bike with my cast on, I certainly got back on a bike almost immediately when the cast came off.

habit of attitude – believe you’ve moved forward.
If you’ve found a lesson in your failure, you have progressed. If you ask a question and get an answer you don’t like, at least you KNOW and can figure out how to work past that.

Today, decide what you want those habits to be. Choose what do you do when you fail.

photo courtesy of © Andre Maritz | Dreamstime