Sometimes it feels like life is working out perfectly for you and you’re firing on all cylinders. But sometimes, almost out of nowhere, you suffer an unexpected setback… and perhaps it hurts you emotionally or financially. We all face setbacks at one time or another. In this blog post we’ll look at what you should do when you face setbacks…
Setbacks feel like a punch in the stomach. An unexpected setback has the ability to knock your self-confidence down by a few notches and make you wonder why you even bother trying.
For example, maybe you just started investing in real estate and a tenant leaves the house trashed. Or maybe you started a small business and your entrepreneurial flame is almost extinguished because of an unexpected tax bill.
At any time, and for any reason, we setback could strike! It doesn’t matter how successful you are, the setbacks will come (and the unfortunate truth is: the more successful you become, the bigger the setbacks that strike).
If you’re struggling with setbacks, here are some ways to push through…
Go Back To Your “Why”
There was a reason you started down this path… whether the path is a new project, a big move, your first real estate investment, or an entrepreneurial endeavor. Maybe you wanted to do this to make more money, create a better life for your family, or just be able to quit your job. Whatever the reason, now is the time to revisit it and be reminded why you do what you do.
Take A Step Back
Often, setbacks seem even worse because we’re knee-deep in the details. Take a step back… go to the park and walk your dog, or spend time at the beach with your kids. It might seem like you’re wasting time but you’re actually just gathering perspective so you can return to the problem with a different view. Yes, you’ll worry about it the whole time and want to take action but a short time away will be invaluable.
Make An Extremely Detailed List
Figure out your best path forward and then make an extremely detailed list of the steps required. While not all of the actions will be immediately possible (and you might have to wait on other people to complete some of the steps), use the list as your path forward. You might have to revise your list as you go but having a clear set of steps that you can cross off will turn the setback into a series of mini-successes as you complete each task.
Learn From Your Setback
This is key and it could change the game for you. Sit down and write out what the setback is, and why it happened, and what you can do in the future to prevent it. There is ALWAYS something you can do to help prevent setbacks, so figure out what it is. And then: SHARE your lessons with the world. There are other people who will undoubtedly face the same problems as you so they will also benefit when you share. (In some cases, this might even turn into a new opportunity for you – for example, you may be able to offer consulting services around helping other people overcome this setback after you have successfully overcome it.)
Setbacks will come. It’s inevitable… and it will be hard. But setbacks don’t have to set us back permanently or even define our reality. Setbacks can actually make us stronger and more successful when we learn from them.
