The 7 Reasons We Fail

Winners might analyze, but they never rationalize. Losers rationalize and have a book full of excuses to tell you why they couldn’t succeed.

Don’t think of every unsuccessful attempt as a failure. Few people succeed at everything the first time. Most of us attain our goals only through repeated effort. Do your best to learn everything you can about what happened and why.

Some people live and learn, and some only live. Failure is a teacher if we have the right attitude. Wise people learn from their mistakes—experience is the name they give to slipups.

Define the problem better. Analyze the situation—what you want to achieve, what your strategy is, why it didn’t work. Are you really viewing the problem correctly? Think about what you’re really trying to do.

Discipline takes self-control, sacrifice and avoiding distractions and temptations. It means staying focused.

You might have an idealized vision of what success will look and feel like. Although that can be motivational, it might not be realistic. Be clear on what will satisfy your objectives and don’t obsess about superficial details.

People with low self-confidence are constantly trying to find themselves rather than creating the person they want to be.

Don’t label yourself. You might have failed, but you’re not a failure until you stop trying. Think of yourself as someone still striving toward a goal, and you’ll be better able to maintain your patience and perseverance for the long haul.

A fatalistic attitude prevents people from accepting responsibility for their position in life. They attribute success and failure to luck. They resign themselves to their fate, regardless of their efforts, that whatever has to happen will happen anyway.

Look in the mirror every day and say, I am in charge. Your attitude determines your altitude, and you can turn “down and out” into “up and at ’em.”