Facing setbacks and failure on the road to success

I'm gearing up for Conversation #2 this week with......well I'm not saying.  You'll just have to check back to see (pretty sneaky of me huh?). 

As I prepare for this second conversation, I am reminded of my experience with conversation #1 and how I walked away feeling like I failed my mission. For a moment it made my stomach turn.  As I'm approaching another interview and reflecting on my first experience, feelings of doubts creep in and I remind myself that "I am not a journalist".  What if I have the same experience again?  Fear of failure is a powerful force.  It can make us quit trying, prevent us from trying something new, or hold us back from taking a risk.

As I recently reflected on my first conversation or my so-called “failed mission”, I stumbled upon this quote by Thomas Edison, "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up".  This quote was all I needed to make me remember that my "perceived" failure with my first conversation was just that....it was my initial perception.  But after further reflection I realized that that "failure" was actually a learning experience that I will continue to use as I move forward down this path of 500 conversations. I'm not ready to quit this journey because I had one experience that didn't go as expected or because I am fearful at times.  My excitement for this project out-weighs my fear so you're stuck with me as I inch closer toward 500 conversations with women who have found success.

Check back soon as I reveal the mystery guest for Conversation #2 and share her path to success. 

Meanwhile, if you've experienced a recent failure on your path to success, read these five "stay focused on success tips" from Charles Manz, PH.D., author of The Power of Failure. [Fitness magazine, April 2011].

1. Stick to the facts:  Think of your failure as an experiment that had a result different from the one you expected.  Try to analyze the situation the way a scientist would analyze data from a lab experiment.
2. Question your logic: Why did things go differently than you expected?  Did you make an incorrect assumption?  Was your timing or execution flawed?  Pinpointing an error or lapse in judgment will help you avoid it in the future.
3. Learn from it: Failures can give rise to new ideas, expose erroneous assumptions and prevent us from becoming too self-satisfied.
4. Stay positive:  The greatest risk is not failure itself but the possibility that it will make you think of yourself as a failure.  If you lose confidence in your skills, you may not be willing to try again.  Instead, practice seeing yourself as a successful person who had a bad moment.
5. Go for it again:  Don't quit now; psych yourself up to give it your all again.  Without a full effort, you won't know whether you failed because an idea was flawed or because you didn't give yourself a chance to succeed.  Most great victories come through perseverance, not instant triumph.