2. What is Failure?
• State of not meeting a desirable or intended
objective or expectation
• Setting a goal but not achieving it.
• Can be embarrassing and painful to experience
• Fear of damaging reputation/ relationships etc.
• Challenges our self worth , self esteem and self
acceptance
3. What is Failure?
• Natural tendency to avoid challenges that could lead to failure.
• Subjectivity in assessing failures/reading too much into failure.
• Criteria of failure depends on: Context
Observer
Belief system
4. Causes of failures
• Lack of desire/ambitions
• Poor planning/scheduling
• Lack of passion/ concentration/hard work
• Indecision /Procrastination
• Unrealistic expectations
• Lack of persistence
5. Causes of failures
• Lack of self discipline
• Poor self esteem
• Fatalistic attitude/luck
• Over caution/No risk taking
• Dismissal of past mistakes
• Rationalization/excuses
6. Causes of failures
• Hereditary backgrounds
• Unfavourable environment influences
• Insufficient resources.
• Negative attitudes and personality
• Fear /Lack of confidence
• Ego and Vanity.
7. EVERY SUCCESS STORY IS A STORY OF GREAT
FAILURES
• There was a man
-- who failed in business at the age of 21
-- who was defeated in legislative race at 22
--who lost his love at 26
-- had a nervous breakdown at 27
-- lost a congressional race at 34
-- lost another congressional race at 45
--failed to become Vice President at 47
8.
9. Redefining the word Failure
• “ Failure is a project that has not succeeded yet, an initiative
that teaches us something at the same time”
• “ Failures that don't kill us make us bolder to try harder
since we have more experiences to fall back on”
10. LEARNING THROUGH FAILURES
• Value and appreciate failure as unavoidable/be prepared for
failures/ expect mistakes
• Realise failure is not objective, single event, stigma, enemy or
final.
• Examine whether all information was available
• Assess decisions taken .
• Judge the systemic errors committed in underestimating or
overestimating difficulties and resources
11. LEARNING THROUGH FAILURES
• Investigate what successes are contained in your failure
• Plan to obtain more information for future decisions.
• Use the experience to build and work from strengths.
• Evaluations based on ‘why’ and ‘how’ rather then ‘what’
12. COPING WITH FAILURES
• Honest communications
• Critical reflection/ understand processes not just outcomes
• Facts and figures provide hope.
• Stories motivate.
• Social Learning / models
13. COPING WITH FAILURES
• Remind yourself you are good enough/count
your blessings
• Remain calm /channel your emotions
• Clear your head of all negative thoughts
• Laugh /celebrate your way through your
failure
• Forget about how others perceive you
14. COPING WITH FAILURES
• Do not internalize the hurt
• Do not rationalise the failure
• Do not displace the anger and frustration/ ego defense
mechanisms
• Have a catharsis/ ventilation session/ communicate
• Confidence building measures/ avoid the consistent ‘fear of
failure’(Atychiphobia)
