Conquering Defeat In The Workplace

Conquering Defeat In The Workplace

Imposter syndrome. Feeling overlooked. Giving into defeat. All of these are experiences and emotions we as businesswomen have gone through in our careers. But from every perceived failure there comes opportunity and you can conquer defeat in the workplace.

Defeat can look like many different things to many different women: it can be getting fired, it can be not getting a promotion, it can be a toxic workplace, etc. Being stuck in that place can feel paralyzing! But I urge you to not stew in it: you CAN overcome your current defeat. After all, it’s truly only temporary. You won’t feel like this forever; you are capable, resilient and powerful.

Redefining “Defeat”

Defeat is a very real feeling. In order to start getting past defeat, you need to embrace it in a totally different way. Because defeat can actually be a powerful tool. Think about it, where does defeat come from? Failure. The only way you can have failed at something is by even trying it in the first place! I’d argue that trying and failing is better than having done nothing at all. You can’t go back and rewrite time, so there is no point in reliving the past. What’s done is done - now let’s move forward.

If you are at a point in your defeat where you feel like you couldn’t be worse off, guess what? That means you’ve got nothing to lose, and that’s a very freeing feeling. The worst-case scenario that you feared? It happened. And you survived. So there’s nothing left to worry about! Defeat actually places you in one of the rarest of all of life’s moments: the one where you have nothing to lose and so you can do whatever you want.

Embracing Defeat And Learning From It

Once you decide to stop dwelling on the downsides of defeat and start seeing it as an opportunity, you can embrace its full potential. Your first plan didn’t pan out? Great - now you can pivot. You can switch industries or positions or companies, or even start your own business! This is a rare moment to capitalize on. You have the chance to take a step back and look at your life plan from different angles, without being tethered to one direction.

With this new perspective, you have a new, clean slate. What you put so much stock into before, none of that matters now. You’re freed from previous obligations and dreads. What will you do with your gift of freedom? Embrace defeat as a chance to seize an entirely new moment. I’m talking about radical acceptance here. You went through this journey to come out the other side smarter, wiser and more resilient.

Defeat will teach you what you can and can’t do again. Once you accept what happened, you can take ownership. Because although defeat can blindside us on occasion, we usually see signs it is coming. Even if we put on our blinders, we can see the groundwork in hindsight. Either way, once we accept it, we can own it and embrace it.

Reclaiming Your Entrepreneurial Confidence

Once you’ve restructured the way you feel about and deal with defeat, you can start to reclaim your own courage and confidence. You just went through one of your toughest times, right? So it can feel overwhelming to have to go back out there and be vulnerable again. But there is power in being purposeful. If you feel defeat again, it isn’t the end but a chance for a new beginning. You can go back out there more powerful and confident than ever before.

Use your experience with defeat as a window of opportunity. The cliché about one door opening when another closes is true. Once you’re in the throes of defeat, you’ve nowhere to go but up, right? So embrace this as a chance to expand, explore and excel in a different direction.

Are you ready to reclaim your Power? At PowHER, I teach executive women and corporations how to build a better table by enabling women to take control of their professional and personal lives. Set up a call today and let’s see how I can help you overcome your setbacks and fear of defeat!

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