"You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down.”—Mary Pickford

Failure is quite inevitable; we’re going to experience it at various points in life. One of the biggest mistakes a person can make after failing is choosing to give up entirely. As Mary Pickford said, the “staying down” is the true failure. Instead, we should stand up and try again.

I know, I know—failure is difficult to face and it’s quite disheartening. But success only comes to those who are willing and able to bounce back. Here are three ways to help you bounce back with more enthusiasm to accomplish the task:

Learn from your mistakes

Mistakes on our part may be the reason we failed, but they also stand to be lessons from which we can learn and grow. They illuminate areas of weakness, laziness, or negligence. Use this information to work on the problem area(s) so they don’t remain a hindrance. When you search for what went wrong, you can better understand what to try differently next time. Instead of feeling ashamed for a mistake, turn it into an opportunity for growth.

Turn failures into motivation

Our failures do not have to define us; instead, they can be what motivates us. Each time you make a mistake, you’re one step closer to achievement; now you know what to do, what not to do, what to avoid, etc. Now you have a better understanding of what it takes to succeed. After learning from your mistake, get excited to use your newly-gained knowledge to try again.

Visualize your end goal

Where you are now does not have to define what you can become. Set your mind on your end goal, not on the obstacles currently in front of you. Remind yourself daily of what it means to you to be successful; keep that image in the front of your mind. When you fail, recall your end goal, that ultimate image, and keep going.

When you fail, it’s okay to feel upset or frustrated. Take the time to bemoan the loss, then choose to bounce back. This type of resilience requires an internal strength. Engrain these three strategies now before you fail so that when you do, your knee-jerk reaction won’t be to quit—it’ll be to learn, get motivated, and remember the goal.

"You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing that we call 'failure' is not the falling down, but the staying down.”—Mary Pickford

Failure is quite inevitable; we’re going to experience it at various points in life. One of the biggest mistakes a person can make after failing is choosing to give up entirely. As Mary Pickford said, the “staying down” is the true failure. Instead, we should stand up and try again.

I know, I know—failure is difficult to face and it’s quite disheartening. But success only comes to those who are willing and able to bounce back. Here are three ways to help you bounce back with more enthusiasm to accomplish the task:

Learn from your mistakes

Mistakes on our part may be the reason we failed, but they also stand to be lessons from which we can learn and grow. They illuminate areas of weakness, laziness, or negligence. Use this information to work on the problem area(s) so they don’t remain a hindrance. When you search for what went wrong, you can better understand what to try differently next time. Instead of feeling ashamed for a mistake, turn it into an opportunity for growth.

Turn failures into motivation

Our failures do not have to define us; instead, they can be what motivates us. Each time you make a mistake, you’re one step closer to achievement; now you know what to do, what not to do, what to avoid, etc. Now you have a better understanding of what it takes to succeed. After learning from your mistake, get excited to use your newly-gained knowledge to try again.

Visualize your end goal

Where you are now does not have to define what you can become. Set your mind on your end goal, not on the obstacles currently in front of you. Remind yourself daily of what it means to you to be successful; keep that image in the front of your mind. When you fail, recall your end goal, that ultimate image, and keep going.

When you fail, it’s okay to feel upset or frustrated. Take the time to bemoan the loss, then choose to bounce back. This type of resilience requires an internal strength. Engrain these three strategies now before you fail so that when you do, your knee-jerk reaction won’t be to quit—it’ll be to learn, get motivated, and remember the goal.