When setting goals, you first have to acknowledge where you’ve been. I know this isn’t new or groundbreaking, but it’s worth repeating. Celebrating failures helps you clear out the energy of the past. It also helps to manage your expectations and energy for your future projects.
Here are three reasons why celebrating failure is the first step that will lead you to greater business success.
Oh, a quick note: If “celebration” feels too peppy, “acknowledging” may be a word that feels better. Think of this as a realignment or a perspective party. You’re giving a nod to where you’ve been so you can avoid stepping in the same potholes.
See How Far You’ve Come
There’s a funny thing that happens when we hit our goals. We say, “Oh, cool,” and move on to the next thing. That’s just how most of us are wired. And yes, I am speaking from experience because it’s taken a lot of practice for me to remember to celebrate when I hit a milestone.
Before you set your next round of goals, whether it’s for the new year or a new day, take a moment to reflect on how far you’ve come. Would past you have even attempted the project that “failed”? Probably not! Thank yourself for trying.
Inform Your Current Success
I had four practice businesses. That’s how I like to look at the businesses I’ve started before this one. They didn’t “fail,” they were just preparing me and informing this current version of my business.
Use these speed bumps when you’re setting future goals for what they are: information. You have past experience to draw from for this next round.
Sure, things you’ve tried may not have worked. That still gives you a lot of material to parse through and learn from. When you’re celebrating your failures, ask curious questions.
- Why didn’t that work?
- How could I do it differently in the future?
- What would allow me to feel more aligned in the next version of this?
Like Thomas Edison said, “I haven’t failed; I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Celebrate Progress
Celebrating failure should really be called celebrating progress. All the extra time is worth it in the long run. This progress period gives you a moment to catch your breath and realign your energy. It encourages future you to be patient and be in the process.
Some people probably have frustrations when it comes to tangibles. There’s not as much money in my bank account as I said I wanted. There aren’t as many clients as I need to fill my roster. I took a loan or leverage to stay afloat.
There can be some painful things that could come up while you’re noticing these moments of progress. Be patient and just be in those feelings. When you’re ready, release the tension and stagnant energy so you don’t carry that into your future goals.
Success Tip: Perform a clearing ritual to remove energy of past failures. Write down what didn’t work, then release it in a fire, to the wind, or into water.
Here’s the thing… There are folks who will never take an action step toward bettering their own lives. They’ll always put their fate in someone else’s hands and they’d never dare take charge.
Give yourself some serious credit for trying in the first place. Do you know how many people would never have tried to have a business? You dreamed about it and took ANY action forward to make it a real thing. So what if it didn’t work the first time? You tried what most won’t even dream of. That’s huge!
