So you ate the last donut, missed the gym, let your house get cluttered, or lost that client or big opportunity. You feel bummed, embarrassed and completely discouraged so decide maybe it's time to give up. While setbacks never really go away on the path to success (even for the very successful), they must be dealt with constantly or they could lead to undermining the confidence needed to achieve one's goals. How does one deal with the inevitable challenges that arise in business and life?
Here are some simple ways to get back on track to a more successful outcome.
1. Look for the lesson in the situation.
You have a choice. You could either bang your head against the wall, or look for the lesson that needs to be learned. If health and fitness is big on the priority list and you're not self-motivated to eat healthier and get exercise, maybe it's a wake up call to enlist in some support. Look to hire a personal trainer or dietitian who may be able to help you reach your goals. Are you more social? See if there's a sports league after work that you could join. Seeing other people active might motivate you to get moving. If you lost an important client, find out why and learn from the situation. Feedback is crucial to success. This will help you to refine your offerings or target different audiences who you and your company could be in a position to better serve in the future.
2. Commit to leveling up your game.
It's been said that you are the average of the five people you most spend your time with. If you hang out with people who are active and start developing their good habits, you're likely to be active too. If you're constantly striving to improve your business game by attending seminars where top producers hang out, you're likely to be a top producer too. Make it a habit to start hanging out with those you aspire to be.
3. Get consistent.
Falling off the bandwagon is no excuse not to try to make a more positive improvement. While it's easy to allow yourself to slip up again and become the opposite of the positive habit you wanted to create, you can easily get back on track. Start small and work your way up towards bigger wins. It's like the equivalent of letting yourself go all out at the all-you-can-eat buffet over the weekend. You hardly want to work out Monday, but just being in the habit of showing up at the gym shows you're committed and will likely to be on a better path to reaching your goals. You may not be able to go full out but you can certainly start small and do one thing each day to get back into a routine. Find or hire someone to hold you accountable to staying on task.
4. Acknowledge success along the way, no matter how big or small.
When a baby takes a first step or says a first word, it's natural to be supportive and encouraging. As adults however, there's a tendency to not celebrate those wins as much. When you don't stop and celebrate milestones, it's hard to appreciate the journey for the long-term. One step forward no matter how small is a step in the right direction. So celebrate those small wins, let them compound and that will help keep your momentum going. Because let's face it -- setbacks are bound to happen and if you're not in the habit of seeing your progress, it will be just as easy to slip back into the same old habits and routines.
Don't let the guilt or embarrassment of not following through on your goals prevent you from moving forward with your positive habits. While not always easy, bouncing back can be simple if you take it one stop at a time. Follow these four steps and you'll be on the right path to success.