The Green Sheet Online Edition
July 14, 2025 • 25:07:01
Turn stumbles into stepping stones
We've all been winded after a failed project, wondering if we've just wasted our time, our energy or even our dignity. But failure isn't a dead end. It can lead us farther than we ever imagined, that is, if we let it.
The trick is to stop seeing failure as humiliation and start seeing it as information. Every misstep has something to teach us. Maybe a merchant acquisition strategy was flawed, a residuals goal misaligned, or the timing of a new POS system simply off. Extract the lesson, and suddenly what felt like a wall becomes a window.
History is packed with people who turned failure into the foundation for success. Take Oprah Winfrey, who was once fired from her job as a television news anchor because she was deemed "unfit for TV." Instead of letting that setback define her, she used it as motivation to create something far greater than her lost job. She went on to build one of the most influential media empires in history.
Stretch and find your purpose
That mindset is key, and it’s available to all of us. Turning failure into fuel means giving yourself permission to try, to risk, to stretch beyond your comfort zone, knowing full well you might fall short. But also knowing that each failure sharpens your insight, strengthens your resolve and brings you one step closer to getting it right. It builds resilience and a deeper understanding of your purpose.
You can start small. Reflect on a recent setback. Instead of pushing it aside, examine it. What went wrong? What could you try differently next time? Write your insights down. Make a plan. Then try again with fresh eyes and new determination.
And when the proverbial inner critic starts up, remind yourself that failure isn't a reflection of your worth. It's a sign you're in motion, in the arena, doing the work. The only true failure is giving up before you've given yourself a chance to see what you're really capable of.
So next time one of your initiatives fails, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and move forward. Your next success might be built on the rubble of your last attempt. 
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