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Take Advantage of Failure to Bring Success
By Paul Martin

You work hard. You strive for success. Like it or not, you’re going to fail a few times along the way.

Success will come easier to those who use their failures to their advantage.

Whether you choose to learn from the result and adjust your approach or take an altogether different route, you can often find a way to win when things go south.

Start by Establishing a Goal

Having a goal is paramount in any serious endeavor. Whether it’s selling five properties per month, enrolling 10 new members, or trimming costs by five percent, the target and benchmark provides something to shoot for. If results come up short, chances are you will have benefited from the strides you have made and possibly find a new, more attractive goal in the process.

Be Flexible

I had a goal to race for the US Paralympic Alpine Ski Team in Nagano, Japan in 1998. I quit my well-paying job to focus on full-time training. Despite all the hard work, when the time came to qualify for Japan, I didn’t make the cut. At first it appeared that all the sacrifice was for naught.

However, when the ski dreams went downhill, I decided to spend more time riding my bike (I’d been a dedicated triathlete during the summer off-seasons) and to pursue the cycling national championships. That summer I won both the road race and the time trial! Those medals would not have been placed around my neck had I made the trip to Japan.

Keep an Open Mind

The national titles inspired increased dedication on the bike - trips to Sydney and Athens racing as a US Paralympian followed. I won silver and bronze medals at the latter. In between the two Games, I won the world championships in 2002.

Beginning in October of 2007, I dedicated thousands of miles and hundreds of hours to my bike saddle for a proper shot at the Beijing team trials on June 6. At that race I rode nearly as fast as I had six years earlier at the world championships where I was the fastest one-legged man in the world on a bike.

Regardless, despite the experience and solid preparation, I failed to make the team – a couple other guys just went faster.

Failures Motive Successes

No matter how I view this experience, the bottom line is that this was another failure. I won’t sugar-coat it --- I was disappointed. (But only for about an hour!) By now I’ve learned that good things come from undesirable results when we make it our business to refocus and stay positive.

The short-term opportunity here was easy to find. On July 20, backed by a solid bike ride, I competed in the triathlon national championships and won my seventh title in as many tries. The long-term benefits of not qualifying might not become clear for some time, but I know they will come. And in time it might just be that fact that I was able to spend more time with my two young sons in the summer of 2008…

It Begins with Attitude

Ten years ago I left my secure position with a large company to pursue a dream…and failed. However, I knew – I kept the faith – that in the end I would succeed, one way or another. Through commitment and dedication to training, my failure led to successes in a different arena. And in a twist I never would have predicted – I’ve not only enjoyed long tenure as a professional athlete – today I’m rewarded by spreading my message as a professional speaker.

The foundation of these successes rest squarely on a proper attitude. When we view failures as opportunities, the doors open tall and wide to allow us to march in and take control.

Make the Choice

We have the power to turn the less-than-hoped-for scenarios that arise in life into something worthy, if not wonderful. Without exception, the individual remains responsible for making the most of his or her lot.

What will you do when your next deal doesn’t go as planned? Will you fall back on a previous strength? Will you find a new route to travel? The choice you make isn’t half as important as opting to see your situation as positive, no matter how dire that might be.

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Paul Martin is a keynote speaker-for-hire with guns aimed at adversity.
Contact him to speak at your next event.