Success and failure are two different sides of the same coin. Consistent efforts by individuals in a planned manner may result in success. In certain circumstances, one may have to face a failure in spite of putting in all the efforts, or in cases when there is lack of adequate planning on one’s part. The important part is to continue one’s learning from failures and rejection. If one does not end up in learning a lesson from past experiences, the person may not be able to make much progress in life. On the other hand, enthusiastic individuals who see failure or rejection essentially as a learning experience are more likely to stay focused and successful in their life.

There is nothing wrong to fail or get rejected in life. It happens with all of us at some point in our life. The key here is to admit that we failed or we are rejected, understand the reason, and work on correcting the problem. Merely complaining or mourning about our failures or rejections does not do any help.

Let us understand various ways in which a failure or rejection helps us:

1. Understanding our weaknesses:

Have you ever thought that why you failed or faced rejection in a particular situation? We often tend to blame others for our failures or rejection, but do not look within ourselves for our weaknesses. At a time when you fail or face rejection, you must think for a while and analyze what went wrong. Could something be improvised? Do you need to modify your behavior? Have you been doing something wrong? Trust me, doing a self-analysis after a failure can help you understand your shortcomings and how you can address them effectively.

2. Taking feedback:

Well, sometimes we habitually oversee our weaknesses and consider ourselves perfect in all we do. At this time, we need an honest friend who may be a team member, a supervisor or a client, someone who can pinpoint our weaknesses. One has to be courageous to accept feedback from others as no one likes his or her criticism. The more feedback you take, the better your chances of improving upon your limitations

3. Taking action:

When you have done all your self-analysis and taken substantial feedback from others, you now need to create a self-improvement plan. A self-development plan includes actions which can help you overcome your weaknesses and capitalize on your strengths.

For example, for someone who has just faced rejection in a corporate interview, the first step is to critically analyze the reasons for the same. On doing a self-analysis, one may think that either qualifications, experience or communication skills have been an issue. But on getting feedback from the employer as well as professional contacts, one can learn about individual limitations. The final step is then to create a plan for self-improvement.

The conclusion of the story is that you cannot simply continue to be melancholic about your past failures or rejections. You need to stand up again, identify and work on your weaknesses, and bounce back.