It is extremely difficult to discover that we fall short in any way, shape, or form. When we find that we don't measure up, it can be a real hit to our self confidence. When our self esteem suffers, it can cause issues further down the line with depression and other serious consequences. Without confidence, our personal relationships and view of ourselves suffers tremendously.
Some might argue that it is society that puts too much pressure on us to succeed. We are given a tailor made definition for success from a young age. We envision success as having a lot of money and doing whatever it takes to be at the top. However, that vision of success is not often personally crafted and tailored to align with our passions. That can be dangerous, especially if you are a creative and spirited person who thrives with an abundance of self expression and innovation.
It seems that the world is cruel to creative types, but this can be avoided in some capacity by changing your perspective. It is our own minds that become our cages. When we accept society's definition of success rather than defining it for ourselves, that is when the trouble really begins. The trouble becomes even worse when we begin to identify ourselves as failures because we are not meeting the criteria for the definition of success.
Fortunately, there is no law in the universe that states that we have to accept society's definition of failure and tag it on to ourselves as some kind of self condemning label that we drag around for the rest of our lives and suffer immensely for. We have to learn how to redefine failure so that we are able to see it as an opportunity rather than a death sentence.
For many, this is easier said than done but, it is possible. No matter who you are, you can define failure for yourself. A failure can be many things, but one thing is for certain. It is not an identity. You are not a failure. No matter what you do or don't do, failure is not a personality label. You can apply failure to the failure to achieve specific goals or completing tasks, but you yourself are never a failure. You should get that into your head now, loud and clear.
Instead, redefine failure as an opportunity to see your task in a different light. Whatever your goal may be, there are many paths that you can take that will lead you to success. If you are not willing to take the time to analyze your choices and examine why certain things have succeeded and others have not, then you are missing out on the gift the failure can give you.
By viewing failure in a different light, you are providing yourself with the opportunity to begin to see opportunities where you once saw roadblocks. This is a powerful strategy that will open up many new doors for you and allow you to garner confidence in yourself rather than feeling defeated by the expectations that you had set up for yourself. Through failure you learn ways that don't work. Keep trying until you find one that does. View failure as an opportunity, not as a death sentence!
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