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DateBook Inspiration

Turn stumbles into stepping stones

e've all been winded after a failed project, and brings you one step closer to getting it right. It builds
wondering if we've just wasted our time, resilience and a deeper understanding of your purpose.
our energy or even our dignity. But failure
W isn't a dead end. It can lead us farther than You can start small. Reflect on a recent setback. Instead
we ever imagined, that is, if we let it. of pushing it aside, examine it. What went wrong? What
could you try differently next time? Write your insights
The trick is to stop seeing failure as humiliation and start down. Make a plan. Then try again with fresh eyes and
seeing it as information. Every misstep has something new determination.
to teach us. Maybe a merchant acquisition strategy was
flawed, a residuals goal misaligned, or the timing of a new And when the proverbial inner critic starts up, remind
POS system simply off. Extract the lesson, and suddenly yourself that failure isn't a reflection of your worth. It's a
what felt like a wall becomes a window. sign you're in motion, in the arena, doing the work. The
only true failure is giving up before you've given yourself
History is packed with people who turned failure into a chance to see what you're really capable of.
the foundation for success. Take Oprah Winfrey, who
was once fired from her job as a television news anchor So next time one of your initiatives fails, pick yourself up,
because she was deemed "unfit for TV." Instead of letting dust yourself off and move forward. Your next success
that setback define her, she used it as motivation to create might be built on the rubble of your last attempt.
something far greater than her lost job. She went on to
build one of the most influential media empires in history.
Stretch and find your purpose

That mindset is key, and it’s available to all of us. Turning
failure into fuel means giving yourself permission to try,
to risk, to stretch beyond your comfort zone, knowing
full well you might fall short. But also knowing that each Kate Gillespie, President and CEO
failure sharpens your insight, strengthens your resolve

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