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When Something Doesn’t Work, See an Opportunity Instead of Failure

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Things in life don’t always work out the way that you want them to. Sometimes it’s small snags or setbacks. In other cases disaster can strike – such as the COVID pandemic – and can put you into a state of feeling trapped, lost, and scared. While any level of failure or problems we run into will sting, it’s important for you to seek opportunity during those moments and times. This is something that I constantly do by reminding myself:

When something doesn’t work, I choose to see this as an opportunity rather than failure.

Here is how you can rewire your brain to create the breakthroughs that you need to overcome these failures.

An Opportunity For A Fresh Start

One of the marvels of our society is that we continue to develop at faster and faster paces. Even during times where it feels like we’re not going very far, there are many opportunities for us to do things. Things that once were mere thoughts have now been our reality. Time and again, people have broken boundaries and stereotypes alike. The amazing thing about all this is that this has nothing to do with our age or education. All that you have to do is hone your skills and abilities to accept new challenges.

Using The Full Life Framework

The Full Life Framework is what I teach students at the Lifehack Academy to turn their limitations into opportunities. I went from constantly working that put me in a physically compromising position to becoming someone who can strike a balance between work, time with my wife and kids, and being in better physical shape.

You may not be looking for the exact same thing that I am, but this framework can be applied in any aspect of your life. Here is how it’s done.

1. Find THE Opportunity

When a problem presents itself, it’s easy for all of our attention to be focused on that. Rewire your thinking by doing these:

  • Gain new perspectives – Before you can accept new challenges, it’s important to shift your current limitations. Because limitations are what define your current life, you can change your life by changing how you see these limitations. By shaping how you look at things, you can see small actions that could change how you approach problems. Small shifts in self-esteem, confidence, or motivation can make a big difference. 
  • Identify your challenges – These are new paths that you need to face in order to walk down a new path. There are many ways to achieve the same thing in this world. For example, when I suffered from poor posture I could either take up stretches or I could’ve gone to the gym and did strength building amongst many other things. The key is to be aware of what options you have available to you.

Instead of looking at the problem, find ways that can change the situation as you begin to start fresh.

“To succeed, jump as quickly at opportunities as you do at conclusions.” – Benjamin Franklin

2. Plan Your Progress

If you know your values and priorities in life, you’ll have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. For example, when I first started dating my wife, my goal was to make her happy. Once we got married and had kids, my goals shifted to her happiness and being there for my kids. Even though I devoted more time to financially supporting them by working hard, I thought at the time it was for the best. 

Put your values and priorities on paper. Once you know your opportunity, it’s a matter of setting long-term goals with smaller short-term goals that you can work on from month to month.

3. Invest And Prioritize

Next, ensure that you’re putting your time and energy into the plans and goals that’ll shape your new reality. Focus on what you do each moment and make it all count. Creating deadlines can also ensure you know what to prioritize.

4. Use Motivation And Good Habits

Even with all of this progress, it won’t work unless you have good motivational sources and positive habits. Things like goal setting, daily reflections, perseverance, amongst others are key. Also, having clear and personal reasons for doing something creates a solid foundation to start a habit. 

For example, I suffered from severe back pain because of poor posture for years. I’ve greatly improved my back pain (and my posture) by stretching my back and exercising every day to strengthen my back muscles. How I got to doing these exercises was out of my desire to keep up with my kids and be involved in their upbringing.

Even if things don’t go as you originally planned it doesn’t mean it’s over. I believe that there is no specific way for us to be completely stuck in our lives. There is always something that you can do to change.

With this strategy, I encourage you to not let your life pass you by or to give up when problems present themselves. We are capable of great things if we set our minds to it.

Having been listed as Business Week's #4 "Top 24 Young Asian Entrepreneurs," Leon Ho is the Founder and CEO of Lifehack - a productivity blog he started in 2005. He has grown Lifehack into one of the most read self-improvement websites in the world - with over 12 million monthly readers. Grab his latest book The Full Life Essential Guide here.

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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
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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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