What do you do if your career setbacks become the fuel for your success?

As Socrates said, “The secret of change is to focus all your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”. You’re going to use energy resisting something you can’t control or into something that you can. Which do you choose?

Take the time to reflect on what went wrong and what you can learn from the experience. Identify the factors that contributed to the setback, whether it's a lack of skills, poor decision-making, external circumstances, or other factors. Use this insight to inform your future actions and decision-making.

When faced with career setbacks, I harness them as fuel for success. I view each setback as an opportunity for growth and learning. I reflect on the experience, identifying areas for improvement and resilience. These setbacks become catalysts for innovation, pushing me to strive for excellence and exceed expectations. With each challenge overcome, I emerge stronger, more determined, and better equipped to navigate future obstacles. Ultimately, my resilience and ability to turn setbacks into stepping stones propel me towards greater achievements and fulfillment in my career.

By embracing change and viewing setbacks as chances for learning and development, you can turn career challenges into catalysts for your future success. This mindset shift allows you to emerge from setbacks stronger, more resilient, and better equipped to achieve your goals. Embracing change also allows you to learn from your mistakes and apply those lessons to future endeavors.

As it has always been stated, feedback is the breakfast of champions! I was once relieved of my duties from a role I held due to internal politics. I had started a business that I didn't consider as a conflict of interest but my detractors felt otherwise. I was meeting all my deliverables was a star performer besides running my little side hustle. As a dedicated employee, this set me back a few steps and affected my morale and desire to seek employment anymore. Talking to my genuine friends made me realise my mistake and helped me dust myself up for what lay ahead. Feedback can be bitter but after self reflection, you realise that nothing good comes without some degree of pain!

After a product launch that underperformed, I actively received honest feedback from users, team members, and stakeholders. This wasn't easy, but it provided invaluable insights into the product's shortcomings. What I did was, I conducted user interviews, analyzed user reviews, and held post-launch debriefings with the development team. This feedback revealed user interface (UI) elements that were confusing and a core feature that missed the mark on addressing user pain points.

After my redundancy, I sought feedback to find my footing again. Surprisingly, the feedback highlighted not just skills but the need for self-compassion. This advice was transformative. It shifted my mindset, allowing me to view the setback not as a failure but as an opportunity. This change in perspective fostered creativity; I began to see endless possibilities instead of dead ends. Embracing self-compassion, I approached my career with newfound resilience and innovation, leading me to a rewarding path in life coaching, where I now empower others to find opportunity in their challenges.

Sometimes ago after I lost a lecturing job, I decided to move away from the pedagogy career. I set a goal to build a profile as a HR and Business Consultant. This goal was quickly realised when I started taking small consultancy gigs, then with time I was positioned as a respectable consultant in the small but vibrant town. I have come to appreciate that your goals shouldn't just be SMART, but should also be aligned with your passion and desired career trajectory.

Most of the time opportunities and set backs fuel success. Why is this happening to me, others are leading such a good life and career, God does not want me to grow, etc. mindset has to stop. There is no excuse you have to take action.

Instead of worrying about the setback, I focused on learning from it. I analyzed the gathered feedback, identified areas where I could have made better decisions, and used that knowledge to improve my future product management approaches. For example, based on a UI feedback I got for one of my products, I redesigned the product that prioritized user-friendliness and clarity. The revised feature addressed the core user need identified through the feedback analysis. This not only improved the product but also boosted my confidence in my ability to learn from mistakes.

As always said, setbacks does not define someone. Think of it as a road that you must traverse as part of your journey of becoming better. It takes a lot of practice, connecting to the right people and getting the much-needed resources so so that you can stay on track. Resilience also allows you to make better choices based on what didn't work well.

By emphasizing control over what's manageable and releasing what isn't, individuals can foster a positive outlook. Prioritizing self-care and maintaining boundaries between work and personal life are crucial for sustaining resilience. Ultimately, resilience empowers individuals to navigate obstacles with tenacity, emerging from adversity with newfound strength and resolve.

As Albert Einstein once opined, 'insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting different results'. Learning from setbacks is what distinguishes those who become resilient from those who fall off along the way. Let's be clear though;- Building resilience is easier said than done! Just like experience, resilience and stamina to handle challenges and overcome setbacks comes with time. However, one has to be deliberate and build huge reserves of positive energy because negative energy is the number one killer of resilience. This calls for one to focus on lessons learned from setbacks and changing tack when faced with similar or different setbacks. The role of determination, mental acuity and focus cannot be gainsaid.

Networking can be so powerful. I have had people in my network support me and help me find a new job when I was working in an extremely toxic place. Aim to build a network of people in various industries, with various roles as you never know who may be able to help you when you are going through a difficult moment. Be intentional in these new relationships.

I remember that one of my former managers told me that networking is like 50% of the work because it facilitates a lot of things in the workplace and make it easier to achieve more within your career journey

Investing to self should be a top priority. This could mean an informal way like watching news, reading digests or even conversing with leaders. These are underated ways of learning which most neglect. Getting feedback is a way to upskill. Likewise is observing, being coached, etc.

Upskilling is crucial in today's job market. Technology and the way we work continues to change, so it is best to embrace things by building your skill sets. Getting certified, watching webinars, or attending networking events offer you opportunities for career growth. It also demonstrates your commitment to not be complacent with your existing skill sets.

Every day is a new opportunity to learn about something that you never thought about and to learn more about yourself in a meaningful manner and how to do things differently for yourself as you grow up in a new way

Los reveses en nuestra carrera parecen obstáculos insuperables. Cada desafío que enfrentamos es una oportunidad para aprender, crecer y reinventarnos. En mi experiencia, los momentos más difíciles han sido también los más formativos. He aprendido que la resiliencia no se trata de evitar las caídas, sino de saber cómo levantarse cada vez con más fuerza. Estos reveses me han ense?ado a ser más flexible, a ajustar mis estrategias y a mantener una visión clara de mis objetivos a largo plazo. ?Cómo podemos convertir estos reveses en escalones para el éxito? Reflexión: Tomarse un momento para analizar lo ocurrido y aprender de cada experiencia Adaptación: Cambiar tácticas cuando las circunstancias lo requieren. Persistencia: Mantener el rumbo,

If this happens, celebrate, clearly you are doing something right! Enjoy your continued success and stay humble. Humility is one of the first virtues to go as one succeeds in life.

Instead of letting obstacles defeat me, I’ve used them as motivation to propel myself forward. Reframing setbacks as opportunities for growth and learning have unlocked a whole new level of success for me. Every setback is a chance to learn and improve. This approach has helped me to develop resilience, determination, and a never-give-up attitude.

Trust the process. See this setback and route to success as an opportunity to learn from your hurdles. Do not give up regardless of how difficult it is, take breaks, have a kit kat and go through the motions but do not give up on yourself.

It's your career journey, so none would understand the dynamics like you do. So, trust yourself and tap into your reflective skills and learning. ?? It starts with being real with yourself- looking back on what went down, what didn't quite hit the mark, or went sideways. This is the hardest part as it might bruise our egos and stir up hefty emotions. ?? Once, you've mustered the courage to take an honest look - you'll start seeing things clearly. Use this space to reflect on: - What factors played a role? (Internal/external) ?? - What are you planning to do about it? ?? With this clarity, the next steps can be smoother and propel you in the right direction as you move forward.??