FMD discusses using your past failings to your advantage

March 26, 2013 - PRLog -- FMD empathises with those who are currently experiencing tough times, but insist although you may not realise it right now, you do have options. You could wallow in self-pity, or remain angry at those whom you blame for your current situation. Or you can turn your past disappointments into great accomplishments.

FMD shares how this is possible; by Just following the paths of the heroes who have gone before you, will show you how to transform past adversity and failures into springboards for success.

1: Take An Objective, Not an Emotional Look, At Where You have Come From

Thomas Edison believed there were no such things as mistakes, only eliminated options that brought him one step closer to his goal. There is no such thing as failure, he claimed, only lessons to be learned.

FMD understands that most people find it difficult to see a failure in an analytical, impartial fashion; many of us were raised to believe that if we failed at something, we were failures. Therefore, as adults, we take failure personally, believing our lack of success indicates a lack in our character. Instead, we must look at the situation objectively, as a matter of cause and effect. The fact that we fail in business situations does not mean we are failures, but rather that we didn’t create the right cause to achieve the desired effect.

If you find yourself in a stuck emotional state, FMD recommend going back and analysing the steps you took and see what you might have done differently. Remove the emotional involvement; just look at the raw data. Logically and dispassionately examine the course you chose and determine why it did not yield the result you wanted, and then consider why it was not appropriate for that particular situation. FMD insists that you will need to acknowledge what you did that led to the failure, and take responsibility for it. But, like Thomas Edison, you should take what you can learn from it and move on.

2: Focus on the purpose on the other side of the pain.

FMD believes that happiness does not come from the elimination of pain, but from the realisation of your purpose. Keep reminding yourself why you are doing what you re doing. Even less lofty purposes, such as I just work here to pay the rent and my car payment, can be transformed over time if you look at the higher purpose for why you might be there. Perhaps you will make contacts that will help you in the future. Perhaps you are trying to save money to put your kids through college, or open your own business. Whatever the reason the key is to look beneath the surface to find the true meaning and vision.

In order to succeed, FMD feel that you ll need to look at the higher goals that you have set and determine their importance, then focus on what is good, important, and meaningful to you, rather than on the mundane aspects or the things you hate about your current situation. If you develop a strong enough reason or purpose to keep going, and you can focus on that purpose, you will succeed at each of the steps you take toward your goal. Without a sense of purpose, you will lack motivation and consciously or subconsciously doom yourself to failure.

3: You can t see the whole parade from where you stand.

You never know from where you stand whether what you are experiencing will turn out to be good or bad until enough time has passed. A seemingly hopeless situation may be exactly the disaster you fear, but it may also turn from catastrophe into triumph in ways you are unable to predict.

FMD can relate to people get stuck in “the Why me?” mode as a result of a severe business loss, FMD stress that what they require is a mindshift in order to recover a sense of belief, hope, and inner strength so they can move on. If we can look outside of ourselves at others who have overcome adverse circumstances, we can gain the courage to believe in our ultimate success. In your industry, who do you know or have heard of who failed but managed to get back on top, perhaps in another industry altogether? History is filled with examples.

FMD often reflects on Soichiro Honda, who persevered through countless failures and setbacks, over four decades, before his Honda Motor Company became one of the largest automobile companies in the world. His inspiring story demonstrates the power of perseverance in the face of adversity and the necessity of innovation and creativity in periods of failure and loss.

When we make a deliberate decision not to give up, then life seems to present opportunities we hadn't thought of or couldn't create ourselves.

4: It s not whether you have won or lost in the past; it s the person you have to become in order to win in the future.

After a business failure has led you to analyse the objective data of your experience, FMD insists that you look at the kind of person you need to become to see the results you want in the future. Beyond visualising the physical objects or the status you seek, you need to look within and say, What kind of person do I need to become in order to get what I want? To become that person, you may need additional education or training in your field or another career; you may need to hire a coach or find a mentor to guide you through the steps to becoming who you want to be. Or you may require a character shift.

5: Retreat does not equal defeat.

A retreat can be a valuable opportunity to regroup and rethink strategies and goals. For example, one of the worst business mistakes you can make is to continue to pour money into a failing business; in this situation, knowing when to call it quits and creatively develop a better plan is essential.

Don t let pride keep you stuck in a wrong decision. Managers and investors need to be willing to change a course of action that isn t working, no matter how much faith, time, and money may have been put into it so far. You need to be willing to abandon a path that is not taking you where you want to go and start over again.

6: Realise that pain and heartache are only labor pains before your birth.

FMD understands that those who lost their jobs and businesses as the economy took a downturn have searched for sometime and have yet to find a job in their industry. This loss may have a profound effect on their sense of self may feel as if all is lost, as they find themselves doing work they never would have envisioned themselves doing when they were in college. However FMD feel this could be a perfect opportunity to discover something that although they might not have thought was the right choice for them previously could become their saviour.

FMD stresses that many heroes of the past have blazed a trail for us to follow if we really want to overcome tragedies and failures. Remember, just because you may have failed does not mean you are a failure. Failure is an attitude, not a place. Get up and keep crawling, sliding, and falling forward in the direction of your dreams. If you follow the hero s path, eventually you will get there.