5 Tips for Reframing Failure

We are human; therefore, we all make mistakes. And there’s no better opportunity for growth than when we’re feeling the sting of having missed the mark. Kaplan Mobray is an author and speaker on topics of personal branding and leadership development. He’ll present a keynote at Imaging USA 2021. Here, he offers five tips for transforming missteps into stepping stones for professional growth.

  • Take in the learning opportunity. Absorb the misstep as a lesson, and elect to move forward with a positive attitude.
  • Be grateful. You may not feel thankful at first, but failures can initiate positive change. Give thanks for the chance to be stronger.
  • Make time for analysis. Ask: What did I learn? What can I do about it? How can it make me better? Mistakes are valuable.
  • Learn how to talk about failure productively. Always focus on the value of what you learned from your mistake, not the error itself.
  • Use it to teach others. After you’ve learned from your mistake, pass that wisdom on to peers. Share it with humility.