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Success Advice

A Simple 3-Step Process to Overcome Failure, Rejections, and Setbacks

Every setback or failure—regardless of how negative the situation—carries with it an equal advantage

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Failure, setbacks, and rejections. These are among the most common culprits of people not following through on their goals and, as a result, falling short of their potential. The sting of these unfavourable events is too much for many to stomach. Unfortunately, these barriers and hurdles are a part of the game, and without developing skin thick enough to shield yourself from them, you’ll never attain your goals and dreams. 

Luckily, you can toughen yourself up and learn to handle these obstacles. And all it takes are some new insights and a little bit of grit and resilience. So in this post, I’m sharing a simple 3-step process you can use to overcome failure, rejections, and setbacks. Keep reading to learn more.

1. Reframe the Situation

Every setback or failure—regardless of how negative the situation—carries with it an equal advantage. However, it’s often hidden underneath the veil of adversity. This means it’s up to you to find the gift in the temporary defeat. And how do you do that? By reframing the situation by putting a positive spin on it. Now, this is not wishful thinking; it’s a genuine effort on your part to look for the good. And here’s how you can do it:

  • Shift your perspective: It’s so easy to feel self-pity when you fail. However, if you can change your perspective on setbacks, they become tolerable. For instance, realize that setbacks make you stronger and wiser. Without failure, developing a thicker skin or learning to improve would be unnecessary. So instead of seeing it as something horrible, try shifting your view on failure to seeing it as a stepping stone that helps you grow. 
  • Be grateful: Focusing on gratitude is one of the best ways to reframe any adverse situation. Regardless of the circumstance, you will always have something to be grateful for. And shifting your focus toward gratitude changes your emotional output. As a result, it can help you develop creative solutions to the problem at hand. 
  • Never accept failure as final: Setbacks should never be viewed as a defeat. You can reframe any challenge as simply a stepping when you see “failure” as a means to an end rather than a final destination. Never let rejections or setbacks get the final word on your road to achievement!

“A setback is never a bad experience, just another one of life’s lessons.” ― Richard Branson

2. Find the Lesson

There’s a gift in every impediment and obstacle that comes your way. However, the advantage is often hidden underneath the veil of adversity. So what do you do? You need to consciously look for the lesson or the opportunity in difficulty. Now, of course, this is easier said than done. But if you can focus your mind on finding the gift in the misfortune, new opportunities will open up to you. And one simple way to do this is to ask better questions! 

Asking empowering questions forces you to think of better solutions. This simple technique then shifts your focus and helps you to think more positively about the obstacle. For example, instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” Ask yourself, “What’s good about this?” Or “What’s the lesson here?” Or “What can I take away from this that will be of value to me in the future?” Etc.

3. Keep Moving Forward

In his landmark best seller, Think and Grow Rich (over 10 million copies sold), Napoleon Hill researched over 25,000 people. These people were some of America’s most rich and successful individuals; however, many were also some of the nation’s most poor and downtrodden. And he discovered something fascinating. 

The main differentiator between the most successful and unsuccessful people America has ever known was persistence: the ability to keep moving forward after each failure, rejection, or setback. Success is hard. You will fail and fall short, probably many times. But if you can continue pushing forward, blowing past each obstacle as it comes, you will be an unstoppable force. 

Old man failure, sooner or later, gets tired and disappears. But the only way to reach that point is to persist. Here are a few tips to help you develop more persistence in your life:

  1. Accountability: Find an accountability partner to help keep you focused. Preferably someone who shares similar goals and values and won’t let you slide.
  2. Recall your reasons for starting: Remember why you started in the first place. Your reasons can keep you going long after your motivation has fizzled out.
  3. Constantly review your goals: This simple act helps keep your aims fresh in your mind
  4. Don’t take setbacks personally: Realize that failure, obstacles, and difficulty are all a necessary part of the process.
  5. Clean up your social circle: You are who you surround yourself with. It’s hard to stay persistent toward big goals and dreams when the “friends” in your life don’t support or believe in you. Remove them as soon as possible. 

Alex Brown is a self-improvement writer who specializes in health & fitness, goal setting, self-discipline, and high-quality living. His work draws from his personal experiences in self-improvement and goal achievement and encompasses how to become the best version of yourself.

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Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
Image Credit: Midjourney

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

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Success Advice

What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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leadership tips for new CEO
Image Credit: Midjourney

When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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entrepreneurial leadership skills and traits
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When you think of Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple), Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), and Ted Turner (CNN), one thing becomes clear: they are not just entrepreneurs, they are entrepreneurial leaders. (more…)

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